A practical system for impact

analysis and communication

Jaan Aps
11.11.2014
Estonian Social Enterprise Network
& Stories For Impact

Fun fact # 1: in 20072009, played a role in

drowning a social
enterprise (result: debts
250 000+ euros) and
then helped to save it
Fun fact # 2: in 2014, was
elected as a mission person
of the year in Estonia for
a long-term commitment to
promoting social impact
analysis in civil society.
Sounds like an urgent call
to retirement...

Lets get the needs

of our group mapped!
LEFT
1. Experienced
social enterprise
or charity (2 yrs +)

CENTER
3. (Thinking
about) just
starting up

2. Start-up (less
than 2 yrs)

RIGHT
5. Im here
because Im
just curious

4. Somewhen
in the future I
will start up

Frameworks & um...

integrated frameworks
Standards
Formats
Methods & um....
methodologies
Guidelines
Good
Toolkits
practices
(kinda
Tools
Tools (free...
free) (expensive...
& proud of it)
& proud of it)
Indicator
Manuals
Web
sites
databases

Small & medium sized

changemakers...

LEFT BEHIND

Social impact analysis field is

and very
emerging rapidly...
randomly
The space of
social purpose
organisations

Compiles a new
strategy document
that includes
outcome indicators

Org # 1

Org # 2

One-off SROI report

about one of its
programs

Org # 3

Stories For Impact 2014

Publishes a section
Our success
stories on its web

The current situation holds social

purpose organisations back:
individually & as a sector
Ecosystem of
changemakers

2. Waste of resources

1. Social purpose org-s

dont change the world
enough because of:

Individual
changemaker

inadequate resources

lack of access

inconsistent quality

related to impact analysis

Stories For Impact 2014

3. Statistics &
benchmarking
difficult

1. Confusion

2. Insufficient resources to start or

complete the impact analysis journey
3. Individual reinvention of the wheel

4. Choice of nonoptimal tools

5. At the mercy of
individual consultants

The solution has to be standardised and

practical, triggered by sector developers
Developers of
ecosystem for
changemakers
1. Providing &
continuously developing
the structure

2. Coaching and
capacity buiding

3. Using the results (e.g

in coalition building,
benchmarking, statistics,
financing decisions)

A clear process
that brings its
community
together

A STANDARDISED STRUCTURE FOR

1. Defining 2. Analysing 3. Communicating

Individual
changemaker

Use of results
internally and
externally

IMPACT CREATION
Stories For Impact 2014

1. Defining impact

Pilot initiative
at the
2. Analysing impact

3. Communicating impact

1. Defining impact (Theory of Change)

http://images.ohpe.ca/4FebSmartriskYouthTheoryofChange.jpg

http://socialinnovation.ca/sites/socialinnovation.ca/files/images/ToC.jpg

http://emerging-future.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Theory-of-Change.0012.jpg

Including (or primarily!)

collaboration activities, e.g in
collective impact coalition

The need(s)
related to
target group
members
Clearly
defined target
group (who,
where etc)

Our outputs
& activities

Pre-conditions
for the activities
to take place
(successfully)

Our longterm impact

Outcomes &
our shortterm impact

2. The need(s)
related to
target group
members
1. Clearly
defined target
group (who,
where etc)

3. Our longterm impact

5. Our outputs
& activities
4. Outcomes
& our shortterm impact

2.1 Analysing impact (qualitatively)

The individual

The need related

to her / him

PROOF?

Our activities
and outputs
The outcomes
The impact

2.2 Analysing impact (quantitatively)

A warning from
similar sector (#CSR):

2,500+ different metrics used

to measure sustainability in
supply chains

93% of the metrics were used

3 times or fewer
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/sep/26/reporting-supplychain-sustainability-metrics-gri-sustainability

Case study:
public sector costs BEFORE...

... and public sector costs AFTER

3. Communicating impact

Slides 24 - 27 http://www.varjupaik.ee/
Slides 28 - 29 http://www.lasterikkad.ee/

Before

After

Before (chaos)...

... and after (order based on ToC-s)

Summary: the proposed solution

1. Common simple format for ToC
(& database of such ToC-s)
2. Storytelling and metrics strictly
based on ToC
3. Communication remains creative
(as long as ToC is the framework)
Standardised,
easy-to-use
technical solution

External support
(consulting), and
auditing

Lets be in touch!

Twitter @stories4impact
Stories For Impact:
storiesforimpact.com/eng
Estonian Social Enterprise Network:
sev.ee/eng