Results Based Accountability

What is Results Based Accountability?

RBA is a disciplined way of thinking and taking action that communities can use to improve the lives of children, families and the community as a whole. RBA can also be used by agencies to improve the performance of their programs. RBA can be adapted to fit the unique needs and circumstances of different communities and programs.

How does it work?

RBA starts with ends and works backward, step by step, towards means. For communities, the ends are conditions of well-being for children, families and the community as a whole. For example: “Residents with good jobs, “Children ready for school,” or “A safe and clean neighborhood.” or even more specific conditions such as “Public spaces without graffiti,” or A place where neighbors know each other.” For programs, the ends are how customers are better off when the program works the way it should. For example: What percentage of people in the job training program get and keep good paying jobs.

How can it help?

Many people have been frustrated by past efforts that were all talk and no action. RBA is a process that gets you and your partners from talk to action quickly. It uses plain language and common sense methods that everyone can understand. The most basic version of RBA (the “Turn the Curve” exercise) can be done in less than an hour, and produces ideas that can be acted on immediately. RBA is an inclusive process where diversity is an asset and everyone in the community can contribute. Like all good processes, RBA is hard work. But it is work that you control and that makes a real difference in peoples’ lives.

VPRC is proud to use Results Based Accountability to measure our program’s performance.

Learn more about Results Based Accountability online at: http://www.fiscalpolicystudies.com