Before you read this blog…
Think back through your day, your week, your month…
How many times did you hear or read the word “impact?”
For many of us, impact is the current word-de-jour, or buzzword. It may even be intricate to our own organizational brand and messaging.
But what is impact?
Webster defines impact as:
The force of impression of one thing on another; a significant or major effect
We often use the term, for example, in statements like these:
“Tonight's program was so impactful!”
“Here is our annual impact report.”
“Your gift made an impact on our organization.”
While the above statements may refer to the feeling of impact, the emotion of change or even the initial stages of transformation, do they truly reflect the full meaning of impact?
Do they describe the highest degree of change?
Do they describe measurable results that prove the difference our organization is making?
Do they describe Impact, with a capital “I”?
Step 1: Start by Describing Outputs
If we want to capture the true depth of the word Impact with a capital “I,” we can look at SEED Impact's Theory of Change on Its Feet™ tool to help tease out three levels of change. This framework guides us to begin by describing our outputs.
At SEED Impact, we view outputs as first level “Expect-to-See” results.
Outputs are based on individual participation.
Typical outputs:
How many people participated in the program?
How much money was spent on the program?
How many hours were spent in a particular service area?
Outputs are very important! To quote the musical Hamilton, outputs describe “the room where it happened.”
Indeed, people need to be in the “room” where our programs are happening to experience the benefits intended by our organization.
Outputs answer:
How much did we do?
Are we doing the right things?
Stay tuned next month when we’ll explore second level results: Outcomes!
In the meantime, if you’d like to explore ways to capture your outputs, outcomes and capital “I” Impact, (and powerfully tell your organization’s story), let’s talk.
Email to schedule a chat: possibilities@seedimpact.org.
Sonja Schappert Howden has been a SEED Impact evaluation client for six years and now leads SEEDing Stronger Together in the Tenderloin of San Francisco, as SEED Impact's Chief Impact Officer.
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