We all want to be part of something that matters. It’s important to know that your work is making an impact. Donors are no different. 

Donors demand transparency. They need to know their money is making a positive difference in society. Donors want to know their investment is being maximized. 

But how do you prove it? How do you show donors that they’re funding something meaningful and worthy of their generosity?

Proving Your Impact

1. Create a clear impact statement
   • What problem(s) does your organization exist to solve?
   • How does your organization solve the problem?
2. Leverage the Theory of Change for your entire organization
   • Inputs
   • Activities
   • Outputs
   • Outcomes
3. Create a theory of change for each of  your programs
   • Think of your donors as investors. Every investor wants to know how you will scale or grow their investment. 
   • When you have a theory of change impact model, your donors can clearly see how your organization will scale its impact and put their money to work!
4. Capture valuable impact data
   • All of your programs should capture data that shows:
     •  Problems
     •  Progress
     • Areas for improvement
   • Without data, you are flying blind. You must establish processes that record impact data for each of your programs.  
5. Communicate with your donors!
   • Donors want to know what’s going on and how their investment is making a difference. Don’t be afraid to share the good, the bad, and the ugly. 
   • Remember, different donors have different expectations and need to be spoken to differently. Various tones, language, and impact metrics are required for:
     • Government funders
     • Individual Donors
     • Foundations
     • Etc.
6. Continuously improve your organization and scale your impact
   • As a nonprofit organization, your job is to constantly improve your programs to add even more value to your constituents. 
   • With clear processes and valuable impact data, you can create a plan and make a difference in the world that can be measured. 

How To Measure & Market Your Impact

If you are unsure how to start your impact initiative or have lost momentum, fear not. The nonprofit consultants at Social Impact Solutions are here to help. 

Social Impact Solutions helps nonprofits measure and market their impact so they can better serve constituents, improve programs and grow their organization.

We’ll help you get started by creating a customized measurement plan for your organization—and then we’ll follow up with ongoing support as you implement it!