HOW THE BEST LEADERS USE IMPACT AND EVALUATION

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor:

SPEAKERSALLY CUPITTHEAD OF NCVO CHARITIES EVALUATION SERVICES

NCVO CHARITIES EVALUATION SERVICES

Theory of change Training

courses

Independent evaluation Mentoring

Free online resources

Capacity building

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

1. What we mean by evaluation and impact

2. Using evaluation and impact for:• Decision making• Better outcomes• More funding• Improved communications

3. Next steps

4. Taking down barriers

5. Top tips

SORTING THE LANGUAGE

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor:

WHAT CAN BE EVALUATED?

WHY SHOULD LEADERS CARE ABOUT IMPACT AND EVALUATION?

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor:

EVALUATION AND IMPACT:

1. Funders increasingly expect it

2. Accountability

3. As a sector we need to better demonstrate our impact to the public

4. Charity regulation

WHY BOTHER? THE STICKS

EVALUATION AND IMPACT:

1. Better information for decision-making

2. Better outcomes for users

3. Better communications

4. More funding

5. More motivated and engaged stakeholders

WHY BOTHER? THE CARROTS

BETTER DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING

Stronger strategic planning

Deliver the right services

More informed scaling up

Put your limited funds

to best use

Making service improvements

BETTER OUTCOMES FOR USERS

• Knowing what works, what doesn’t work • Knowing who it works for• Sharing outcomes information can motivate

users to change

MORE EFFECTIVE FUNDRAISING

Evidence your achievements

Explain your intended impact

Show you are a learning

organisation

Describe evaluation

plans

Evidence of need

BETTER COMMUNICATIONSInternally: • Shared understanding of goals • Agreement on how best to achieve those goals

Externally: • Clearer and simpler explanations of what you are

trying to achieve• More engaging publicity for you or your cause• Policy change• Gaining credibility

NEXT STEPS

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor:

WHAT DOES IT NORMALLY INVOLVE?

• Identifying and agreeing on clear goals• Often using a tool like theory of change or the CES planning triangle

Organisation planning

• Identifying what to collect information on• How that information will be collected• When and by whom

Evaluation planning

• Routine systematic data collection• Usually regularly checked against plans• Ideally of output, outcome and user satisfaction at a minimum

Monitoring

• Done internally by your staff, perhaps yearly• Using monitoring and other information (eg census data)• To make judgements about your progress

Self evaluation

• Using some external agency; Usually based on your data and new data• Periodic, perhaps every 3-5 years • Greater focus on process, outcome and impact, more complex

Independent evaluation

A SUGGESTED PROCESS

Occasional external evaluation

Regular self-evaluation using monitoring data

Develop internal evaluation systems, pilot

Build internal capacity

Develop an evaluation plan

Get support if you need it

Identify and skill up an internal champion

TAKING DOWN BARRIERS:

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor:

GROUPWORK

TOP TIPS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT IN 26 YEARS?

1. Planning• Bring stakeholders with you• Systems need to be flexible• Go to them - embed within existing systems • It takes time• Integrate with everything

2. Methods• Be cautious with ‘off the shelf’ • Horses for courses - appropriateness• Size does matter - proportionality• Need other information to understand outcomes • Allow for unexpected and negative outcomes• You may only need to measure outcomes, not impact• Qualitative ways to assess impact

TOP TIPS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT IN 26 YEARS?

3. Reporting• Part of evaluation plan• Know your audience• Multiple methods for multiple audiences• Don’t forget analysis• Summarise, keep relevant and focused• Be careful of inappropriate generalisation or attribution• Clear, actionable recommendations

4. Use it!• Provide useful information• Of high quality• On time• And then reinforce

RESOURCESReadingOur new impact section on Knowhow Nonprofit has information to help you develop effective impact and evaluation practices in your organisationknowhownonprofit.org/organisation/impact

Contact uswww.ncvo.org.uk/charities-evaluation-servicesTwitter: @CESOnlineTel: 020 7520 3193Email: ces@ncvo.org.uk

Dinner sponsors:

Media partner:

Partner sponsor: