Theory of change
We see theory of change as the foundation of charity strategy, evaluation and communication. Our free guidance is one of the most popular resources we offer. To get started on your theory of change, read our Theory of change in ten steps. To dig deeper, we run regular training sessions, and our consultants can help you develop bespoke theories of change for your projects and services.
Theory of change in ten steps
Our ten step handbook to creating a theory of change is built on many years of developing them for charities and funders.
On 9 October 2019.
Mechanisms – A missing component in your theory of change?
A realist approach to evaluation, which stresses how contexts interact with mechanisms to achieve outcomes.
On 9 October 2019.
How to do a basic theory of change
James Noble introduces NPC's new thinking on theory of change. There are ten steps in all.
By James Noble .
On 9 October 2019.
Blog
5 challenges of evaluating systems change work and how to approach them
By Katie Boswell .
On 23 January 2025.
It’s difficult to establish cause and effect. To evaluate, you'll need to map the system and create a theory of change.
Organisation we’ve worked with
Asthma + Lung UK
On 6 January 2025.
Following a change in senior leadership, A+LUK asked NPC to help them review their strategy and identify priority areas of focus for maximum impact in pursuit of their vision.
Event
How to build convincing evidence with numbers
On 15 May 2025, 9:45 am – 12:30 pm at 93 Great Suffolk Street
This in-person workshop will explore different methods in how you can show impact through numbers.
Organisation we’ve worked with
dabbledoo
On 20 November 2024.
dabbledoo asked NPC to help them with measuring impact. The work focused on developing a theory of change and a custom-built impact dashboard.
Event
Theory of change in ten steps: in-person
On 18 June 2025, 9:45 am – 12:30 pm at 93 Great Suffolk Street
This in-person seminar will run through how to develop a theory of change, based on our guidance 'Theory of change in ten steps'.
Organisation we’ve worked with
Walking with the Wounded
On 23 September 2024.
We helped WWTW to estimate the added value of their Care Coordination programme. Our analysis indicated substantial positive outcomes, with improvements made in the lives of service users.
Organisation we’ve worked with
Opportunity International
On 11 September 2024.
We supported Opportunity to develop a best-in-class impact measurement and management (IMM) framework and an impact report to capture their work.
Organisation we’ve worked with
Hestia
On 19 July 2024.
We supported Hestia to build a theory of change and analysed existing data to give an indication of the impact of the Safe Spaces programme.
Organisation we’ve worked with
The British Red Cross
On 21 May 2024.
We supported the British Red Cross in the development of its UK Climate Adaptation Theory of Change.
Blog
Theory of change for fund managers and impact investors
By Flora Charatan, and Gurmeet Kaur .
On 25 April 2024.
A theory of change is the foundation of an organisation’s strategy, evaluation, communication, and measurement.
Event
Corporate social impact: Theory of change
On 18 July 2023, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Zoom
This event is for businesses and corporate philanthropists interested in taking a Theory of Change approach to their charity giving.
Blog
Learning from GambleAware’s community collaboration
By Catherine Hatcher, Erwin Hieltjes, and Abigail Manning .
On 14 March 2023.
This is the first in a series of blogs that will share learning from GambleAware's Community Resilience Fund.
