Theory of change

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What is theory of change? We all have dreams and ideas about how to achieve them, but we rarely take the time to think these through, scrutinise and articulate them. This is what a theory of change process does.

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.

Meet the team

Jessica Weir

Principal: Theorising Change

Katie Boswell

Director: Systems change (maternity leave)

Featured resources for theory of change

Resources

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.

Guides Theory of change

Resources

Mechanisms – A missing component in your theory of change?

A realist approach to evaluation, which stresses how contexts interact with mechanisms to achieve outcomes.

Guides Impact measurement, evaluation and data

Blog

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.

Guides Theory of change

Latest updates, events and training

3D rendering of orange and blue elements of a bar chart, clustered together.

Blog

4 questions to ask when building an impact dashboard

Where are you on your impact journey? What’s your main aim – reporting or learning? How will you collect and manage the data? Who will maintain and update the dashboard?

Impact management Impact measurement, evaluation and data Starting to measure your impact Theory of change

Two hands shape a clay cup on a potters wheel.

Blog

Theory of Change: how your purpose should shape your process

Thinking through the why will lead you to the how. And getting the process right will strengthen your final output.

Theory of change

Event

Theory of change in ten steps

This seminar will run through how to develop a theory of change, based on our guidance 'Theory of change in ten steps'.

Impact measurement, evaluation and data Leading Impact Theory of change

Find out how we can help you

We offer tailored support to help you create a theory of change that helps you work towards your mission and make an impact.

Find out more

SolarAid used the theory of change work that NPC did to really get to grips with how we needed to go about measuring our work.

Kat Harrison

Social Impact & Research Manager, SolarAid

Organisations we've worked with

RNID

We helped the RNID to develop theories of change for four new programme areas, as well as a clear and consistent approach to impact measurement to use across the organisation. RNID moved from planning to real world delivery of well-evidenced, targeted, life-changing activity across its programmes.