Measuring Impact

Case studies of impact assessment in small and medium sized voluntary organisations.

Based on research carried out by the UK Voluntary Sector Research Group - a consortium of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) - this report explores approaches to the assessment of impact in small and medium-sized voluntary organisations.

The report, although not prescriptive, will provide ideas to consider for those planning an impact analysis.

Each of the four councils carried out an independent case study and the following key methods were found to be useful:

• a systems approach, which attempts to include all organisations involved and also the various stages involved in the overall aims of the organisation questionnaires
• interviews
• use of visual techniques within qualitative research
• use of research assistants from within the community
• developing indicators.

The methodologies adopted in three of the case studies are qualitative and provide alternatives to the traditional quantitative measures used to measure the impact of organisations in the voluntary and community sector. The qualitative methods were found to be successful.

The report ends with an analysis of what did and did not work well.

Measuring Impact (462Kb)


This report is available in hard copy and can be obtained from:

research@nicva.org

028 9087 7777

028 9087 7799


See also Measuring Impact. A guide to resources