Impact measurement, evaluation and data
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Whether you’re a charity or funder, impact measurement and evaluation is all about helping you improve the good work you’re doing. By understanding what’s going well, and what’s not, you can take steps to take to better serve the people and causes you support. What’s more, you can pool those insights together through shared impact measurement. This helps you get the bigger picture on what is often a complex story. You might be just starting out on all this. Or perhaps you need in-depth advice on a specific area, like handling data or conducting qualitative research. Whatever your situation, we have guidance for you.
Featured resources on measurement, evaluation and data
Theory of change in ten steps
This new guide is a ten step handbook to creating a theory of change, built on many years of developing them for charities and funders. It will teach you the basics, our core approach, with the information you need to do any theory of change.
Building your measurement framework: NPC’s four pillar approach
At NPC we believe in impact measurement as a way for charities and funders to increase their effectiveness. We know it helps organisations improve what they do and deliver the best results for their beneficiaries. Here we publish our four pillar approach which provides clear and practical guidance on developing an impact measurement framework.
Stories vs numbers: Choosing what impact data to collect
Numbers are important, but alone are not enough—you need personal anecdotes to give them colour and meaning, and qualitative research to understand for example how change has been achieved.
Inspiring Impact
Inspiring Impact supports people who work and volunteer for charities, funders, and social enterprises across the UK. We provide free online resources, peer learning networks, and grant funding, so you can plan, understand, and improve your impact.
What does ‘impact measurement’ really mean?
We use the terms ‘impact’ and ‘impact measurement’ a lot. But what do they really mean? James Noble breaks it down for us.
Five types of data for assessing your work: An explainer
NPC has worked with many charities and social enterprises over the years to help them work out what data they need to understand and improve their work. It can be a confusing question, and sometimes even the word 'data' puts people off. Here our head of impact management James Noble introduces the different kinds of information organisations can collect.
Listen and learn: How charities can use qualitative research
Qualitative research is focused on what things mean to people, and so it sits very naturally with the questions that a charity asks. This paper explains why we think qualitative research approaches offer real benefits to charities seeking to understand and improve their work.
Balancing act: A guide to proportionate evaluation
What constitutes a proportionate and meaningful way to evaluate a programme? It’s a difficult but crucial question. This paper will help you think through the options and make a decision that reflects your organisation’s needs, available resources and the operating context.
Result! What good impact reporting looks like
How charities can plan and produce a good impact report.
Data with destiny: How to turn your charity’s data into meaningful action
In this short practical guide, we outline how charities can turn their raw data into wisdom and informed action.
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Theory of change in ten steps
A theory of change process encourages us to reflect on our aims and plans, to discuss them with others and to make them explicit. We see this process as the foundation of charity strategy, evaluation and communication.
Stories vs numbers: Choosing what impact data to collect
Numbers are important, but alone are not enough—you need personal anecdotes to give them colour and meaning, and qualitative research to understand for example how change has been achieved.
Using data to increase your effectiveness
The road to increased efficiency is often perceived as a journey where data and its collection feel like an obstacle rather than a compass for navigating through the maze of service design decisions. But it does not have to be this way.
Social Impact for Business
In the first of our Social Impact for Business series of events, we’ll be focusing specifically on developing effective strategies for impact. Later in the series we’ll be exploring best practice approaches to measuring, reporting and communicating impact.
Understanding Impact
How to turn your theory of change into a plan for measurement, the five types of data you will need to pay attention to, and how to prioritise what to measure.
Regular evaluation makes a winner on charity governance
Whatever the size of your organisation, celebrating your great governance is something that cannot be overstated. In 2019, YMCA North Tyneside won the Improving Impact (26+ paid staff) category at the Charity Governance Awards. We found out why regular evaluation was the key to their success.
What makes a winner on charity governance?
We sat down and spoke impact assessment and great governance with Turn2us Chief Executive and Charity Governance Awards judge Thomas Lawson. Here's why a finely tuned balance between boards and charities is the key to success.
A magical thing called ‘impact measurement’
Here Rachel Tait, Programme Manager for the Inspiring Impact programme discusses how the programme is helping more charities figure out what impact measurement right for them and they can embed it in their day to day activities.
Shared measurement: Not a magic bullet…yet
The way we measure is almost as important as what we measure. Here Shubh Sharma, NPC Consultant sets out the ways measuring collaboratively can improve our work and break down power dynamics.
State of the Sector 2020
State of the sector, our comprehensive survey of the opinions of charity leaders is returning for 2020. Theo Clay, lead researcher on the project sets out what's changed, what's stayed the same, and what we hope to achieve.
Big words, big numbers, and big ideas
Will Hanford, NPC’s communication manager, attended his first ever NPC Ignites this year and has written a blog on the highlights of his experience. He detects a strong theme of power, particularly the power wielded both consciously and unconsciously by funders, running through the day.
Shared measurement: Tackling evaluation together
Oliver Carrington, Impact and Evaluation Manager at Imperial Health Charity shares findings from a shared measurement pilot that should be beneficial to other charities and funders.
Get support with Inspiring Impact
Inspiring Impact supports people who work and volunteer for charities, funders, and social enterprises across the UK. They provide free online resources, peer learning networks, and grant funding, so you can plan, understand, and improve your impact.
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Find out how we can help you
We can offer you and your organisation tailored support with your measurement, evaluation and data.
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