How do you share your social impact framework with others?

1 Know your audience

Before you share your social impact framework, you need to know who you are sharing it with and why. Different audiences may have different interests, expectations, and levels of familiarity with your work and your impact. For example, your funders may want to see how you use their resources to achieve your goals, your partners may want to see how you collaborate and complement each other, and your beneficiaries may want to see how you address their needs and challenges. Therefore, you need to tailor your message and format to suit your audience and purpose.

2 Choose your medium

Depending on your audience and purpose, you may choose different mediums to share your social impact framework. For example, you may use a written report, a presentation, a video, a website, a dashboard, a poster, or a brochure. Each medium has its own advantages and limitations, so you need to consider what works best for your content, context, and resources. For example, a written report may be more detailed and comprehensive, but a video may be more engaging and emotional. A website may be more interactive and dynamic, but a poster may be more accessible and visible.

3 Use clear and simple language

When you share your social impact framework, you want to make sure that your audience understands what you are saying and why it matters. Therefore, you need to use clear and simple language that avoids jargon, acronyms, and technical terms, unless you explain them. You also need to use consistent and accurate terminology that reflects your framework and your impact. For example, if you use the terms outputs, outcomes, and impact, you need to define them and show how they relate to each other and to your goals.

4 Tell a story

One of the most effective ways to share your social impact framework is to tell a story that illustrates your work and your impact. A story can help you connect with your audience emotionally, show the human side of your impact, and highlight the challenges and successes of your journey. A story can also help you demonstrate how your framework guides your decisions and actions, and how it helps you learn and improve. To tell a good story, you need to have a clear structure, a compelling plot, a relatable character, and a meaningful message.

5 Use visuals and data

Another way to share your social impact framework is to use visuals and data that support your message and show your evidence. Visuals and data can help you capture your audience's attention, simplify complex information, and highlight key points and trends. Visuals and data can also help you show the logic and rigour of your framework, and how it links your inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact. To use visuals and data effectively, you need to choose the right types, formats, and sources, and make sure they are clear, relevant, and accurate.

6 Invite feedback and dialogue

Finally, when you share your social impact framework, you want to invite feedback and dialogue from your audience. Feedback and dialogue can help you improve your framework, your work, and your impact, by providing you with different perspectives, insights, and suggestions. Feedback and dialogue can also help you build trust, rapport, and collaboration with your audience, by showing that you value their opinions, experiences, and contributions. To invite feedback and dialogue, you need to ask open-ended and constructive questions, listen actively and respectfully, and respond honestly and positively.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?