WHY THE "R.A.T.E.S. PRINCIPLES" DEVELOPED
I found that many of my students had organizational questions that should have been addressed prior to attending a grant proposal writing class. For example, most of those who attended had questions about what program activities they should include in the proposal. They were not asking about the programs that already existed, but wanted help with structuring their programs. I also realized that most of my students had not first established their own organizational identities.
R.A.T.E.S. Principles offer a universal platform of developmental and operational standards for non-profit human services. This platform provides a consistent point of reference in order to accommodate organizational as well as leadership development. R.A.T.E.S is an acronym for five essential areas of development which are Response-ability, Account-ability, Technical-ability, Evaluation-ability and Sustain-ability. Each of these five categories may include any number of sub categories that can offer a continuum of learning and development. Those organizations that function according to the R.A.T.E.S. Principles will establish and be able to demonstrate a firm foundation upon which to build and continue their efforts towards making the world better for us all.
Typically by the time you decide that you want to start a non-profit project, you have determined that something wrong in society is not being properly addressed. You may have also decided that you want to get paid for working to make a difference. Or you may have a different reason for considering how to become a non-profit. No matter what your motivation may be, you will still need to understand some basic principles for establishing and maintaining your non-profit organization.
My own experience in the non-profit arena taught me that certain standard practices are essential in establishing a viable and lasting initiative to effect change. I developed the R.A.T.E.S. Principles to offer a solid platform of universal organizational practices that could easily lend itself to teaching others. I have observed these standards to be consistent in successful programs.
Also, the R.A.T.E.S. Principles encompass an assembling of these organizational standards in order to springboard a fundamental understanding and method of learning and instruction. R.A.T.E.S. is intended to first satisfy the burden of answering the question, “where do I start?” In the course of deciding upon technical assistance, capacity building or organizational development, the non-profit arena has remained without a universally adaptable, foundational starting point. I believe that the R.A.T.E.S. Principles address this need.
