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Intended impact/theory of change

Intended impact/theory of change. Sociology 96j: Research for Nonprofits March 14, 2006. Caveats to George:. General background. II/ToC expertise. Jack of all trades, master of none; Novice practitioner of II/ToC. Objectives and agenda. Objectives. Agenda.

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Intended impact/theory of change

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  1. Intended impact/theory of change Sociology 96j: Research for Nonprofits March 14, 2006

  2. Caveats to George: General background II/ToC expertise Jack of all trades, master of none; Novice practitioner of II/ToC

  3. Objectives and agenda Objectives Agenda

  4. Introduction to nonprofit strategy: The philosophical lens • Objective: Transform scarce resources into maximum social impact • “How many kids can we save”, not “if we can save just one kid, it’s all worth it” • “Can’t do everything… social needs are endless” • “Everything isn’t equally worth doing… different actions have differential impact” • Therefore, to maximize social impact, one must align: • The mission (what do we care about?) • The need (what do the people we serve require?) • Capabilities (what are we good at?) • Resources (what assets do we have?) • The applicability and utility of this “lens” varies by individual/organization • ESAC versus Bottom Line Is this the right lens for you and your organization?

  5. Introduction to nonprofit strategy: The components • Reason for being Mission • What are you trying to accomplish and for whom? • Beneficiaries • Benefits • Timeframe • Accountability • How do you make impact happen? Intended Impact Theory of Change • What services do you currently provide? • What new services should you offer? Program/ Service Focus • What processes, skills, staffing, systems, and structure are needed? • What is the economic and financial model to deliver the strategy? Organization Economics Performance metrics • How do you know you’re achieving the desired results? • How can you measure performance in a way that helps the organization to make the appropriate decisions?

  6. Overview of II/ToC Intended impact Theory of change

  7. An example: CollegeBoston • Our mission: • To build better communities by helping disadvantaged students get in to college, graduate from college and go far in life • Our core beliefs: • Higher educational attainment is critical to the socio-economic success of individuals, families and communities • A focus on both college access (get in) and success (graduate from) is necessary to significantly increase the numbers of disadvantaged students succeeding in higher education and beyond (go far) • Our students: • Urban youth in at-risk socio-economic groups (low income and/or first-in-family/first-in-generation to attend college) from the Boston area • Our programs: • CollegeBoston College Access Program counselors provide students with full service along the entire spectrum of the college application process • The College Success Program supports the most at-risk students from the high school-to-college transition through to graduation

  8. An example: CollegeBoston: II/ToC in brief For this population… …CollegeBoston provides these programs… …To help disadvantaged students get in to college, graduate from college and go far in life Outcomes for which CollegeBoston will hold itself directly accountable Outcomes CollegeBoston believes will occur due to its programs but which CollegeBoston will not actively track and verify

  9. General thoughts/reflections on II/ToC: • Nonprofit strategy, and in particular II/ToC is hard • Different stakeholders often have “nuanced differences” with regard to II/ToC • Often involves emotional, values-driven decisions which data helps frame but does not answer • Meaningful, high quality data is hard to come by • The process is intensive and requires significant effort and resources over sustained periods of time • Generally requires ~2 months (out of a 6 month case) and significant manager/partner time • It’s worth it – a well-defined intended impact/theory of change will drive the program focus, organizational structure, economics and performance measurement • Focus on the most important activities • Understand how to measure success or failure • Know when to say no

  10. Making it practical • Guiding an organization through an II/ToC is likely beyond your scope • Requires significant time and effort on the part of the facilitator and the senior leadership of the organization • Requires deep understanding of the non-profit • However, even a high level understanding (e.g., a version of slide 7) can be very insightful in guiding analyses and recommendations • Use the questions (slide 5 and/or “Zeroing in on Impact”)!

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