Criterion Ventures worked with the Tides Center on reviewing questions related to a set of services which meet the needs of not-forprofit organizations through outsourcing staff at an affordable price and with consistent quality.  To evaluate this idea we started with a number of questions:

• What challenges do not-for-profit organizations face, which might be addressed through outsourced services?
• What types of organizations make up the most promising market segments?
• What features and benefits do organizations want from an outsource service provider?
• What mix of services is most attractive?
• What distribution channels, on-line, local, or a combination, would be of greatest interest?
• How do organizations make buying decisions?

Based on Criterion's experience in the not-for-profit market, we believe that much of the decision to purchase services is based on the provider's understanding of the client organization's culture. To test this assumption, we asked respondents what qualities they look for in an outsourcing partner.

Respondents list qualities that represent both good professional relationship-building and demonstrated capability. For example, they say that it is extremely important for the outsource partner to understand the mission and vision of the organization, and the culture in which it functions. Partners must be good listeners accessible, interested in developing
 personal relationship, responsible, and creative. They must understand the business of the organization and the local market in which it operates.

However, they also look for high performance standards and clear metrics for measuring that performance. They want the outsourcing partner to be accountable for the quality of their work, experienced, particularly in similar client situations and with similar projects. They would want the partner to be able to demonstrate results in past work and share lists of past clients. Clearly experience counts, especially in similar situations.

Finally, we asked respondents how interested they would be in each of the services tested. We asked them to state whether they would be Very Interested, Somewhat Interested, or Not At All Interested in the services, either on a full-time or a part-time basis. The following table shows the average response to each, with 3 being Very Interested, and 1 being Not At All Interested.