How do you ensure the quality and credibility of your philanthropy evaluation and impact?

1 Define your goals and indicators

The first step is to clarify what you want to achieve with your philanthropy and how you will measure it. You need to define your goals, objectives, and outcomes, and link them to specific indicators that can track your progress and performance. For example, if your goal is to improve education in a certain region, you might use indicators such as enrollment rates, test scores, or graduation rates. You also need to establish a baseline and a target for each indicator, and decide how often and how you will collect and analyze the data.

3 Engage your stakeholders and beneficiaries

The third step is to engage your stakeholders and beneficiaries in your evaluation and impact process. Your stakeholders are the people who have an interest or influence in your philanthropy, such as your donors, partners, staff, or board. Your beneficiaries are the people who directly or indirectly benefit from your philanthropy, such as the communities, groups, or individuals you serve. You should involve them in defining your goals and indicators, designing and conducting your evaluation, interpreting and sharing your results, and learning and improving your practice. This way, you can build trust, ownership, and accountability, and ensure that your evaluation and impact are responsive, inclusive, and respectful.

4 Communicate your results and stories

The fourth step is to communicate your results and stories to your stakeholders and the public. You need to report on your achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, and show how your philanthropy has made a difference in the world. You also need to tell compelling stories that illustrate your impact and inspire others to join your cause. You should use different formats and channels to communicate your results and stories, such as reports, presentations, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, videos, or social media. You should also tailor your messages and tone to your audience and purpose, and use clear, concise, and engaging language.

5 Apply ethical principles and standards

The fifth step is to apply ethical principles and standards to your evaluation and impact. You need to ensure that your evaluation and impact are conducted with integrity, honesty, and transparency, and that they respect the rights, dignity, and privacy of your stakeholders and beneficiaries. You also need to adhere to the ethical codes and guidelines of your field, sector, or profession, and follow the best practices and norms of your evaluation and impact community. You should also seek feedback and input from your stakeholders and beneficiaries on your ethical conduct and performance, and address any issues or concerns that may arise.

6 Learn and improve from your evaluation and impact

The sixth and final step is to learn and improve from your evaluation and impact. You need to use your results and stories to reflect on what worked well and what did not, and to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You also need to use your results and stories to inform your decision making, planning, and action, and to adjust your goals, strategies, and interventions accordingly. You should also share your learning and improvement with your stakeholders and beneficiaries, and solicit their suggestions and recommendations. By doing so, you can enhance your effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, and increase your impact in the world.