There's a new online tool for nonprofits that is nothing short of stunning. It gives me a glimmer of hope that the nonprofit sector is maturing enough to solve rather than serve the world's problems. 

Charting Impact requires nonprofit leaders and staff to think clearly about their work, and then succinctly define and describe it. Further, it provides a way to track what they want to achieve and what's already been accomplished. The tool takes nonprofits way beyond a focus on "outputs" or "numbers served" to describe what their impact is in the community. Rather than communicating how many hot meals were served, for instance, nonprofits also describe their aim, strategies, internal capacity and more. This is the information today's donors want but can't get their hands on.

The Charting Impact tool is the result of a collaboration of national heavyweights: Independent Sector, Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, and Guidestar.

The tool requires answering five questions that are deceptively simple:

1) What is your organization aiming to accomplish?
2) What are your strategies for making this happen?
3) What are your organization's capabilities for doing this? 
4) How will your organization know if you are making progress?
5) What have and haven't you accomplished so far?

Some 50 nonprofits have used the tool and posted their answers in a report format on the Charting Impact website. The tool initiates a discussion among staff and board members and what happens is that in the process, they become clear about what they're not clear about. What a discovery! Frankly, I'm going to use the questions for my business and radio show. Clarity is priceless.

So far, most of those 50 nonprofits have not answered the questions well and that's not a criticism; it is very difficult to be rigorous and precise. I admire them for struggling with the tool and posting their best efforts for the world to see. During a webinar today about Charting Impact, the CEO of Independent Sector said the questions have worked their way into all facets of her organization.

AHEAD Energy used the tool well and I encourage nonprofit executives and board members to review it on the Charting Impact website. I am inspired by its answer to the first question, "What are we aiming to accomplish?" Here it is: "The ultimate goal for AHEAD Energy is a world in which there is universal access to life-enhancing energy." Simple and very powerful.

This post was written by Renee McGivern and originally published on Nonprofit Spark Radio. Follow Renee on Twitter.