Here's how you can assess the performance of social impact projects.

Setting SMART goals is key, as with impact-driven projects, we may get off track. The desire to give back can come at a detriment, as we try to create vast meaningful change. By setting SMART goals, it helps to guide the approach, matched with the available resources to leave an impact.

At this step, i would strongly recommend the Social Value International approach (Principle 8) towards risk management in social impact measurement. How revertible is the decision you will make with the data you will generate? Whats the level of possible "harm" not being revertible if your decision is incorrect? By answereing these questions already in the scoping (where you goals are defined), you secure that the level of rigor of your data mete these expectation.

A robust Impact Measurement Framework begins with well articulated goals that provide focus and leverage your company’s unique strengths and capabilities.

Social impact goals should not just about what changes for people but extend a step further to the consequence/effect people experience as a result of those changes. The changes that occur as part of an initiative are outcomes. What consequence/effect these have, is the impact.

Long-Term Impact Measurement Strategy: - Long-Term Vision: Set goals for lasting changes, like significantly improving community quality of life over five years, or reducing disease incidence by 30% over ten years. - Control Group Use: From the start, plan to compare outcomes with a non-intervention group to accurately attribute changes to the project. - Deep and Integrative KPIs: Select indicators that measure profound impacts, such as sustained employment levels, community income changes, and long-term health improvements.

Important to measures outputs and outcomes which are not the same thing. For instance, you can track the number of volunteer hours committed to supporting a good cause. What you also need to measure is the outcome of the volunteering. For instance - positive behaviour change (eg recycling products, better digital habits, improved mental health and wellbeing)

La medición de impacto social es fundamental para atribuir con métricas e indicadores clave cual es el impacto social que esta generando tu proyecto. Estos resultados deben estar orientados a largo plazo, a crear un impacto creciente y continuado en el tiempo La metodología del Impact Management Project o la teoría del cambio pueden ser muy buenas herramientas para poder entender la lógica de medición y poder encontrar los indicadores cualitativos y cuantitativos correctos

Você só pode melhorar o que pode medir. Sem mensura??o você n?o acompanha a evolu??o, e corre o grande risco de cair em decis?es por "achismo". Tenha um processo claro e periódico de coleta, tratamento e análise dos dados que s?o relevantes para a sua atividade. Na hora de tomar decis?es, consulte dados antes de percep??es.

1. Data Dive: Numbers Talk: Track concrete results like "number of meals provided" or "families receiving clean water access." Beyond Numbers: Look deeper! Use surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gauge community satisfaction or behavior changes. 2. Baseline is Key: Imagine a pre-project snapshot. This "baseline" is your starting point for comparison. Did the number of tutored students increase after your literacy program? 3. Consistency is King: Don't switch data collection methods mid-project! Consistency allows you to compare apples to apples and see a clear picture of progress.

"Data for Good" in Data-Driven Impact Models Enables accurate forecasting and strategic intervention planning. Resource Optimization: Predicting outcomes to identify the most effective interventions. Impact: Enhances efficiency in resource allocation, maximizing benefits and reducing waste. Transformation of Data into Strategic Insights: Guides strategic decisions and development of new initiatives. Dynamic Response to Changes and Needs: Promotes agile and responsive project management. Promotion of Transparency and Accountability: Strengthens stakeholder trust and enhances communication of impacts.

El análisis de los datos que parten de una medición de impacto social es importante que lleven a la creación de indicadores para poder gestionar adecuadamente esta medición orientada a la mejora continua. Un medición de impacto social sin analisis de datos y sin gestión de los mismos, de poco sirve. Debe habar recurrencia en medir y analizarlos, hacer ajustes para incorporar nuevas medidas, supuestos o temas de interes que aporten valor al proyecto

Triangulate your data. Have regular intervals where you check your assumptions and add or remove data indicators that are appropriate and effective.

1. Compare & Conquer: I'll always dust off the baseline data (the pre-project snapshot). Compare it with the new data to see the progress. Did the number of mentored youth increase after your job training program? 2. Digging Deeper: Analyse trends, patterns, even unexpected results. This can reveal hidden strengths or areas for improvement. 3. The Impact Whisperer: Is my project on track? Does the data tell a story of success, or are adjustments needed? measure everything.

Na minha experiência a análise de dados é uma ferramenta útil para conquistar uma melhora no impacto do projeto, pois ela sinaliza o que precisa melhorar e gera uma revis?o dos processos da equipe. Isso leva a um contexto de calibra??o das métricas e traz direcionamento.

Data analysis in impact is not only and always about "how effective" your interventions are - they are about how much value you have generated. People may have more knowledge, but how much of that improvement is thanks to you? Is it of value to them (i.e. how important is it to them)? For how long will this change last? All those questions are important to understand how material the changes are (relevant and significant), for "enough precision" for the decision.

Engaging stakeholders is not just a step in performance assessment; it's a cornerstone of project success. By actively involving those with a vested interest in your project, you create a collaborative environment where feedback is not just heard, but sought after. This inclusive approach ensures that all voices are considered, leading to more comprehensive evaluations and a deeper understanding of your project's influence. Remember, stakeholders are not just observers; they are partners in your journey towards impactful outcomes.

Everything must start with stakeholders engagement, from the very beggining. Trying to engage later will necessarily fail. Stakeholders may not be sensitive enough to assess directly, and will depend upon management demonstrations.

Engajar fringe stakeholders, ou seja, partes interessadas marginalizadas e normalmente vulneráveis socioeconomicamente, gerará ideias para inova??o ao projeto.

Stakeholder involvement is the first step in data collection and successful project implementation. This involvement will consist of transparency, information, communication, participation, etc.)

Aqui considero um dos pontos mais importantes de um projeto. Saber fazer uma boa gest?o da comunica??o e alinhamento com os stakeholders pode favorecer o sucesso, continuidade e amplia??o do projeto. Para isso, atente-se aos seguintes pontos: 1. Organiza??o: Liste todas as partes interessadas, utilize plataformas de organiza??o, fa?a cadências de contatos, liste os pontos trazidos, utilize pesquisas, grupos focais e outros meios de captar percep??o. Comunica??o: Estabele?a canais de comunica??o claros e regulares. Essas a??es ajudar?o a garantir que as partes interessadas estejam envolvidas e contribuam para o sucesso do projeto.

Reflecting on findings and stakeholder feedback is crucial, as it allows for real-time adjustments and improvements to ongoing projects. Implementing pilot projects is an excellent strategy in this regard. These smaller, controlled project trials enable organizations to test elements of their social impact strategies in manageable segments before full-scale implementation. This approach not only allows for focused learning and rapid iteration but also ensures testing whether the strategy aligns well with long-term goals. Pilots serve as a practical testing ground for validating the effectiveness of strategies and making necessary adjustments early, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness and efficiency of social impact initiatives.

In my experience, what works is to develop clear operating guidelines. These include quarterly (in my view this is ideal timing, unless your business changes fast and monthly is needed) progress measures, that highlight what is working and what isn't. Operating guidelines would be governed by 1-3 specific leaders with the ability and influence to make decisions on how the organization will pivot based on that information. Test and learn and iterate at the same regularity.

The weekly social performance indicators will allow you to assess the continuous improvement of the project. Are there cases of gender-based violence, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, discrimination, conflicts and grievances?

Aqui está um dos processo que parece simples, mas vejo como um dos mais complexos. Para um processo de reflex?o, reestrutura??o e adapta??o é necessário transparência e maturidade. Comunique os resultados e aprendizados de forma clara e honesta. Leve em conta riscos, suposi??es e a gest?o contínua de indicadores para a melhoria do projeto. Lembre-se de que a participa??o da comunidade e a colabora??o com especialistas podem enriquecer a avalia??o e contribuir para um impacto social mais significativo.

Transparency is crucial for any project. And it is perceived as clear messages, documents exposed, and number, if so, avaliable for easy access.

Transparency couldn't be more important. With one of my past experiences, when the decision to be transparent of measures and the current results, it was terrifying to leaders. Some asked for more time to get their plans in order to response to queries or reactions. This was a fair ask in our view. We gave them 60 days. And after that time we launched the results. The outcome was that we built trust with our employees and external stakeholders because we did it, and because we did it thoughtfully. But not just once, we committed to report every 6 months. And we did. This tactic is paramount.

I believe there's an opportunity to enhance transparency and accountability by openly addressing the inevitable challenges and mistakes that arise along the way.

Transparência dos resultados s?o essenciais em ecossistemas de cultura de doa??o e filantropia fracas, como o Brasil. Ajuda a fortalecer os projetos com bons resultados e engajar a participa??o de mais atores como os financiadores dos projetos sociais.

Measuring outcomes and impact is only part of performance elements for social impact programs. Some other performance considerations that you could monitor / measure include aspects like efficiency, reach, economy, quality, equity, cost effectiveness, and accessibility.

Reflecting on my experience, the choice of assessment methodology is critical in social impact assessment to accurately measure the project's effects. Theory of Change is a key tool in this process, providing a systematic approach to understand the causal pathways between project activities and their intended outcomes, ensuring a robust and comprehensive evaluation of the project's social impact.