Measuring Impact - Nicva
Measuring Impact - Nicva
Measuring Impact - Nicva
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Introduction 9<br />
Figure 1.2 – Pressures to assess impact: measurement and demonstration<br />
In contrast, pressures to demonstrate impact are more likely to be bottom-up and internally<br />
driven. The process of demonstrating impact is more likely to be qualitative and may be more<br />
resource intensive. Stakeholders such as donors and volunteers might be more interested in<br />
how progress towards a set of goals has been achieved with a certain level of resources, rather<br />
than the proportion of targets met in a given year. However, it could be argued that impact<br />
demonstration does not address the central question of efficient resource allocation.<br />
Approaches to impact assessment 1.4<br />
Chapter 2 offers a short overview of the currently available tools, but argues that some<br />
aspects of impact, including long-term and unanticipated impact, cannot be readily measured<br />
or demonstrated using the available tools. This is a significant barrier, certainly for small and<br />
medium-sized organisations.<br />
Chapter 3 illustrates the common themes and principles that underpin our approaches to<br />
demonstrating impact. The main body of this report then highlights findings from four<br />
different (but related) approaches to impact assessment. The approaches were tested using four<br />
separate research projects, undertaken in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.<br />
The first report (Chapter 4) asks “what are the dimensions or characteristics of collective impact<br />
from the voluntary and community sector’s perspective”. Based upon a large-scale survey of<br />
organisations in Wales, it highlights key problems for those wishing to assess the impact of the<br />
sector or its constituents, including the diversity of function and industry. It also highlights<br />
concerns regarding the flexible use of language in this field, such as the interchange of impact<br />
and outcomes. However, the chapter identifies a broad range of themes that might form the<br />
basis of a future impact typology. This is discussed in more depth in the concluding chapter.