There are pre-implementation materials to measure organizational or provider readiness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as listed below:

For those interested in starting a new, independent Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) agency, the interested party is provided a checklist by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Agency Support department. The checklist contains information on the steps that should be taken while considering starting a new agency, including minimum requirements in the areas of funding, staff, Board of Directors, dues, technology, training, and insurance. In regard to the pre-implementation of a new site-based program with a new partner, it is recommended that local BBBS staff meet in person with the new potential partner and provide information on the BBBSA model and the commitment that is needed for a successful program. Details of the partnership should be agreed upon and drawn up in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Sample contract agreements are available through BBBS Connect, the proprietary intranet system for all agencies. BBBSA can be contacted for more specific information and documentation. Please see the contact information at the bottom of the page.

There is formal support available for implementation of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as listed below:

BBBSA offers a variety of formal support and resources for BBBSA agencies. The BBBSA Agency Support department oversees agency compliance to BBBSA’s Standards of Practice and provides ongoing support for the network. Through this department, they provide one-on-one CEO onboarding and consultation for new BBBSA agency CEOs. Every three years, agencies undergo a full audit by BBBSA staff or BBBSA consultants, which can be on- or off-site. During these audits, each BBBSA agency is evaluated on how well they are complying with the 23 Standards of Practice. Audit includes a review of all written Board and Governance policies and procedures to ensure that all minimum requirements of the Standards are included and board approved. Program policies, procedures, and processes are also evaluated to ensure compliance, which may result in additional staff trainings or coaching.

There are fidelity measures for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as listed below:

On a monthly basis, compliance reports are pulled by BBBSA staff and uploaded to BBBS Connect, providing agencies an idea of areas needing attention (e.g., completion rates of program assessments, such as the Youth Outcomes Survey (YOS) or Strength of Relationship (SOR) Survey). BBBSA has also implemented annual self-assessments for agencies to review their compliance to standards, overall fund development plan, and other key areas. This assessment is submitted to the National Office each year and reviewed. Any agencies that are out of compliance are provided information on how to address the specific area(s) of non-compliance and are given a specific amount of time to remedy. Every three years, agencies undergo a full audit by BBBSA staff or BBBSA consultants.

There are implementation guides or manuals for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as listed below:

BBBSA has developed a Service Delivery Model (SDM) manual, as well as BBBS Standards of Practice. These materials can be found on BBBS Connect, which houses all of the resources BBBSA provides its agencies. Board Source, a nonprofit board leadership resource, is made available to all BBBSA agencies as well.

Research has been conducted on how to implement Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as listed below:

• Furano, K., Roaf, P. A., Styles, M. B., & Branch, A. Y. (1993). Big Brothers/Big Sisters: A study of program practices. Public/Private Ventures.
• Hunte, D. E, Roaf, P. A., & Tierney, J. P. (2004). Big Brothers/Big Sisters: A study of volunteer recruitment and screening. Public/Private Ventures.
• Kupersmidt, J. B., Stelter, R. L., Rhodes, J. E., & Stump, K. N. (2017). Enhancing mentor efficacy and preparedness through web-based pre-match training. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership, 7(3), 197-216. https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2017-V7-I3-7945
• Morrow, K. V., & Styles, M. B. (1995). Building relationships with youth in program settings: A study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Public/Private Ventures.
• Rhodes, J. E., Reddy, R., Grossman, J. B., & Maxine Lee, J. (2002). Volunteer mentoring relationships with minority youth: An analysis of same- versus cross-race matches. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(10), 2114-2133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb02066.x