IssuesSubscribe via RSS

Slay, J. (2014). To maximize impact, evaluate more than just outcomes. Arabella Advisors Greater Good Blog. 17 June 2014, www.arabellaadvisors.com/2014/06/17/to-maximize-impact-evaluate-more-than-just-outcomes/ As this Knowledge Connect has shown, outcomes are the changes that matter. And there are many good reasons why we need to continue to focus on outcomes in order to make better decisions.  But the missing piece in this puzzle is that a focus on what changes is not enough: we need to know how … Continue reading →

Schorr, L. (2012). Broader Evidence for Bigger Impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 10(4), 50–55. No matter the sector trying to measure impact or the approach taken, understanding what types of evidence are credible, rigorous and reliable is a critical factor.  In this 2012 article Lisbeth Schorr (Lecturer in social medicine at Harvard University and Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Social Policy) presents a case for a broader understanding of evidence and … Continue reading →

Lumley, T. (2013). Raising the Bar on Nonprofit Impact Measurement. Stanford Social Innovation Review, www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/raising_the_bar_on_nonprofits_impact_measurement, accessed Sept 2014. Tris Lumley, the Director of Development at NPC and international thought leader and practitioner in the field of social impact and investment, argues that impact measurement must be tailored for and driven by not for profits. In “Raising the Bar on Nonprofit Impact Measurement”, Lumley examines the actors in the social impact system and their roles in … Continue reading →

Barraket, J. & Yousefpour, N. (2013). Evaluation and Social Impact Measurement Amongst Small to Medium Social Enterprises: Process, Purpose and Value. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 72(4), 447–458. Works like those of Epstein and Yuthas and the IIRC are aimed across sectors. Other experts write specifically about outcomes and impact measurement for particular groups. Professor Barraket, the recently appointed Director at the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne, and her co-author Yousefpour, for example, examine the … Continue reading →

Hestbaek, C. (2014). Closing in on Change – Measuring the Effectiveness of your Campaign. New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), www.thinknpc.org/publications/closing-in-on-change/, accessed Sept 2014. The biggest changes in our society often start through a campaign. Organisations that focus on advocacy can act as the catalyst for fundamental shifts in the law and how we treat other people (or animals, or the environment). For this type of work, success can often be perceived as “all or nothing”– either … Continue reading →

International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) (2013). The International Integrated Reporting Framework, www.theiirc.org/international-ir-framework, accessed 28 Sept 2014. Just a few months prior to the release of Epstein and Yuthas’ book, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC*) published a conceptual framework for the preparation of a concise, user-oriented “Integrated Report”. Integrated Reporting demonstrates the linkages between an organization’s strategy, governance and financial performance and the social, environmental and economic context within which organisations operate. By reinforcing these … Continue reading →

Epstein, M. J. & Yuthas, K. (2014). Measuring and Improving Social Impacts A Guide for Nonprofits, Companies, and Impact Investors, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, California. At a time when there is much discussion, rhetoric and theory around social impact investment and social impact measurement, Epstein and Yuthas’ Measuring and Improving Social Impacts is a very useful, clear and practical guide. Mark Epstein (a Professor of Management at Rice University, Houston & previously of Business School, Harvard Business … Continue reading →