Beyond Gut Feelings: A Practical Guide to Measuring Impact

In the world of funding and project management, it's easy to fall into the trap of relying solely on anecdotes and gut instincts to measure impact. After all, who doesn't love a good success story or trust their own intuition? But here's the thing: while these anecdotes and feelings can provide valuable insights, they often fall short when it comes to convincing funders or stakeholders of your project's real impact.

Think about it—how often do we remember only the positive feedback and conveniently overlook the less-than-stellar reviews? And if we’re relying solely on gut feelings we might miss important signs that things aren't going as smoothly as we think. 

The problem with this approach is that it's hard to defend. Sure, your stories might be compelling, and your enthusiasm infectious, but without hard evidence to back it up, convincing others of your impact can be an uphill battle. While your current funders might trust you enough to take your word for it, you could be missing out on opportunities to grow and reach new supporters who need more concrete proof of your impact.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.There's a way to level up your impact game without drowning in academic jargon or complex frameworks. Enter the "7 Steps For Anyone Who Wants To Measure The Impact Of Their Programme." It's like your impact measurement cheat sheet—straightforward, practical, and effective.

  • Step 1: WHO is impacted by your program?

  • Step 2: WHAT are the outcomes experienced by your programme participants?

  • Step 3: WHERE can you get evidence of progress from?

  • Step 4: WHICH questions can you ask and which indicators can you observe to determine the extent to which change is happening?

  • Step 5: WHEN will those questions be asked?

  • Step 6: HOW will you store the impact data you collect?

  • Step 7: WHY are you doing this? In other words, is the data used only for reporting or also to guide improvement?

With these seven steps in your back pocket, you'll be well on your way to measuring your impact like a pro. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to evidence-based evaluation—your funders (and your gut) will thank you for it!