Stakeholder audits

To be successful, non-profits often need to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. These might be service users, partnership working organisations, statutory bodies, funders, or the public at large.

nfpSynergy can design a programme of research to explore and understand the thoughts, feelings and experiences of  stakeholder groups.  This approach is key to developing strategies and action plans that are robust enough to meet the organisation's objectives, while remaining flexible enough to satisfy a range of different interests.

Case Study: Moorfields Eye Hospital – 2009 Stakeholder Audit

Moorfields Eye Hospital was in the early stages of a major strategic planning review in 2009. To help guide this process, Moorfields wanted to put it's stakeholder audiences at the centre of the process, but required nfpSynergy to help explore stakeholder's perceptions in an objective manner.

Research was required to identify and understand stakeholder's experiences and perceptions of Moorfields and to seek their guidance, where appropriate, on the directions Moorfields should take in it's work and organisational development. After working with Moorfields to create and refine a stakeholder map and prioritise stakeholder audiences based on their interest, influence, and proximity to Moorfields as an organisation, we carried out the research using mixed methods. The first phase of research comprised a series of more than 35 in-depth executive interviews with a range of key stakeholders including consultant surgeons, medical research experts, sight charities, commercial organisations and financial organisations. We also carried out a series of focus groups with current and former Moorfields patients and carers, as well as discussion groups with current Moorfields staff from a range of departments across the organisation.

We analysed the findings of the interviews and focus groups and produced a major (50+ page) report, with executive summary and recommendations. This methodology put the Moorfields stakeholders at the centre of it's strategic planning process and helped Moorfields to identify a series of strategic priorities for the next phase of it's development as an organisation.