{"id":2853,"date":"2018-03-05T03:04:01","date_gmt":"2018-03-05T11:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog\/?p=2853"},"modified":"2024-06-13T06:44:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T13:44:08","slug":"measuring-nonprofit-social-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog\/measuring-nonprofit-social-impact","title":{"rendered":"Measuring Nonprofit Social Impact: A Crash Course"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cMeasuring impact\u201d has become a mantra for nonprofit professionals around the world. As donors become savvier and less trusting of nonprofits, fundraisers everywhere have had to learn the best way to measure and share their social impact on the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Multiple approaches have been developed to help nonprofits define and measure their social impact, but a single, stand-alone, universally accepted framework does not exist yet. Different organizations will have different goalposts and measurements to show their success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll share why measuring social impact is so important and four ways to start measuring your impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is Social Impact?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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University of Michigan defined social impact as “a significant, positive change that addresses a pressing social challenge. Having a social impact is the result of a deliberate set of activities.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And what is the difference between impact and social impact?<\/span><\/p>\n

“Impact\u201d on its own implies an influence or effect on virtually anything or any change from a current situation. \u201cSocial impact,” however, is grounded in its effect on a pressing social challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although what a \u201cpressing social challenge\u201d means might differ from one community to another, from one country to another, or even from one nonprofit professional to another, a minimum consensus exists on the fact that social impact should be more than a marginally positive change, and one that impacts a broader social issue.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Social issues include things like equality, diversity, health, nutrition, poverty, security, justice, conservation, energy use, waste, and environmental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why is Measuring Social Impact So Challenging?<\/h2>\n
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  1. It includes measuring complex concepts, such as \u201cincrease in the self-esteem of an individual\u201d or \u201cincrease in overall well-being.” These qualities are impossible to quantify.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Measuring social impact also means accounting for other factors that might have influenced the element you\u2019re trying to measure i.e. to what extent can the change be attributed to the activities of your nonprofit?<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. It is long-term and requires consistent and dedicated work throughout the span of several years, so can be difficult if you have high staff turnover.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. It requires a relevant system\/framework and robust tools, which can be hard to develop, especially for smaller nonprofits.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. There are no set rules, so approaches and terminology can radically differ from one nonprofit to another, which makes communication and collaboration more difficult.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. The phrase \u201csocial impact\u201d is increasingly vague and often misused to imply small changes. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    Why is it Important to Measure Social Impact?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Albeit a difficult task, measuring social impact matters.\u00a0<\/span>Nonprofits must measure the success of their initiatives so they can change their strategy as needed and assess their mission. There are many\u00a0<\/span>other reasons to measure social impact, and here are only a couple:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. By measuring impact, you gather data and stories that you can then use in your marketing and communications.<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. You are able to get quantitative and qualitative inputs and feedback for your programs and activities, so you can improve them.<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. By measuring impact, you are also able to report back to funders and be accountable.<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. You can attract new donors. Project funding is increasingly dependent on the strength of impact assessment.<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. You can share the information with other nonprofits and collaborate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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      4 Ways to Measure Social Impact<\/h2>\n

      Here are some ways you can measure social impact to understand how your work is making a larger difference.<\/p>\n

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      1. Collect testimonials<\/h3>\n

      If there are people in your community who have benefitted from your services, ask if they’re willing to share a testimonial. Depending on your work, this may need to be anonymous. But a detailed testimonial can help you measure your qualifiable social impact in the following ways:<\/p>\n