IMPACT?! Impact measurement of the Flemish social profit sector

Demand for impact measurement of the social profit sector

The pressure to measure and report social impact is increasing within the social profit sector. That pressure comes from government institutions and financiers, who want 'value for money'. The question also comes from the organizations themselves that use the measurements to:

• organize their operations better or differently;
• to (continue to) bring social problems to the attention.

Low-threshold methods for social profit impact measurement

However, there is no framework, handholds and tools to get started with social impact measurements. The aim of this research project is to set up a program line from the research and development center Man and Society to design and test accessible methods for an impact measurement in such a way that they can go public with them. 

Conduct research project

After a broad survey, we will develop a practice-oriented set of instruments based on literature, professional field needs and existing tools. We will then test this new methodology in social profit organisations. Impact is operationalized in a few pilot projects and solutions are developed, aimed at making the instruments autonomously deployable.

In this project we design with and for the practice organizations involved and we also learn what support organizations need in the implementation of these designs. The output of this research is relevant for the Flemish social profit sector, but can also meet the need for impact measurement in other sectors in the long term.

Impact is a program line of the research and development center Human & Society.