Searching for inspiration for evaluating the impact of your project? Have a look at the resources below for some ideas.
Impact+ Exercise
The Impact+ Exercise has been developed to help applicants and projects think about what their impact could be and how to measure it.
The exercise involves a workshop and just needs you, your partners and the Impact+ Exercise materials.
The video guide below explains how it works and is available with subtitles in English and several other languages.
As well as the video guide, the Impact+ Exercise materials provide you with an Impact+ Exercise table, a workshop guide and both a blank and text version of the Impact+ Tool.
You can download these materials and watch the video guide in English:
- Impact+ Exercise English materials (1.22 MB) | Video guide
The materials and video guides are also available in other languages.
Impact+ Exercise materials (other languages)
Download the materials and watch the video guide in different languages using the links below.
- Croatian materials (1.11 MB)
- Dutch materials (2.07 MB) | Video guide
- French materials (2.14 MB) | Video guide
- German materials (2.04 MB) | Video guide
- Hungarian materials (2.13 MB) | Video guide
- Italian materials (2.12 MB) | Video guide
- Lithuanian materials (2.23 MB)
- Polish materials (1.32 MB) | Video guide
- Slovakian materials (1.02 MB)
- Slovenian materials (2.01 MB) | Video guide
- Spanish materials (2.12 MB) | Video guide
- Swedish materials (2.72 MB)
Impact and evaluation resources
The resources below will help you to evaluate the impact of your project without having to start from scratch. There are guides, research methods and articles among other materials that can act as practical tools in order for you to understand more about your project's impact.
Inclusion of an external link on this page does not constitute an official endorsement from the UK National Agency.
Logic models and theory of change
You can use these guides to demonstrate how your project activities will result in the impact you want. You can also try our own Impact+ Exercise.
- Creating your theory of change: NPC’s practical guide (New Philanthropy Capital, 2014)
- Logic Model Development Guide (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2004)
- University of Wisconsin Logic Model (University of Wisconsin, 2010)
- Theory of Change (Center for Theory of Change/ActKnowledge)
Indicator frameworks and tools
You will need some indicators to help you measure your impact but you don’t have to create them yourself. These indicator frameworks have a range of indicators you can use or adapt.
- Asking good questions: a framework to support evaluation (Centre for Youth Impact, 2018)
- Reading Outcomes Framework Toolkit (Reading Agency, 2016)
- Make the Case – Advocacy Toolkit (Arts Council England, 2016)
- Mapping outcomes for social investment (New Philanthropy Capital, 2014)
- Outcome Frameworks: a guide for providers and commissioners of youth services (Cabinet Office, 2014)
- Framework of Outcomes for Young People (The Young Foundation, 2012)
- A Guide to Social Return on Investment (The SROI Network, 2012)
- Guide to Measuring Soft Outcomes and Distance Travelled (The Institute for Employment Studies, 2000)
Good practice guides
Many professional societies publish free guides for research and evaluation. They can also be a good source for research and evaluation training and informal or expert advice.
- Alliance for Useful Evidence - a network championing the use of evidence in social policy and practice. They have a range of research resources, advice, articles and events available;
- British Educational Research Association - research association for academics and researchers involved in education research. They provide guidance on ethics, methods, theories of research and communication and dissemination;
- Market Research Society - a professional association for market researchers. They have guides on research ethics, conducting, analysing and commissioning research;
- Social Research Association - a professional association for social research professionals. Their website includes guidance on ethics, commissioning research and a range of blogs and articles about conducting research;
- Social Value UK - a network for those interested in social value and social impact. They have guides on all aspects of Social Return on Investment and social value;
- United Kingdom Evaluation Society - they provide articles and guidance on good evaluation practice.
Impact+ Exercise User Research
Many professional societies publish free guides for research and evaluation. They can also be a good source for research and evaluation training and informal or expert advice.
- Impact+ Exercise User Research 2019 (Hay, Chandra & Dreyling, 2019) (1.5 MB)
- Impact+ Exerciser User Research 2018 (Hay & Chandra, 2018) (668 KB)
- Impact+ Exercise User Research 2017 (Access Europe, 2017) (875 KB)