NCVO: Planning your impact and evaluation

Summary

Understanding the issue you want to address in your work, and identifying the difference you want to make, are important first steps for impact measurement and evaluation.

Articulating your outcomes (changes or benefits that happen as a result of your work) and impact (broad or longer-term effects of your work) can help you:

• plan new work
• communicate the purpose of what you do to current or potential funders and donors
• decide what information to collect to evaluate your programmes and services.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) provides tools and resources for your organisation to use.