Blog & Videos2024-10-15T20:54:09+00:00

Surveys as Conversations

No one. Likes. Surveys. No one wants to feel like a generic data point. No one wants to be shouting into the dark. The ImpactStory Strategy designs surveys as mini conversations, and an opportunity to listen, learn, and respond. Read how!

By |October 8th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Simple Data Collection|Comments Off on Surveys as Conversations

VIDEO: Surveys as Conversations

VIDEO: No one. Likes. Surveys. No one wants to feel like a generic data point. No one wants to be shouting into the dark. The ImpactStory Strategy designs surveys as mini conversations, and an opportunity to listen, learn, and respond. Read how!

By |October 8th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Simple Data Collection, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Surveys as Conversations

Compelling Longer-term Change Impact Stories

The vast majority of social sector partners simply CANNOT measure the longer-term impact for their clients. So how do you tell compelling impact stories about the longer-term change you expect your clients to achieve? This week's blog post walks you through the critical must-haves to tell this important impact story.

By |September 24th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Masterful impact Stories, Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Compelling Longer-term Change Impact Stories

VIDEO: Compelling Longer-term Change Impact Stories

VIDEO: The vast majority of social sector partners simply CANNOT measure the longer-term impact for their clients. So how do you tell compelling impact stories about the longer-term change you expect your clients to achieve? This week's blog post walks you through the critical must-haves to tell this important impact story.

By |September 24th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Masterful impact Stories, Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Compelling Longer-term Change Impact Stories

Systems Change is a Goal, NOT a Destination

I constantly see posts and blogs about the importance of the social sector making meaningful systems change. While systems change is a crucial goal, it's not something we're actually able to measure or be sure we can even ever accomplish. This is hard to explain - but I'm going to give it a first try here.

By |September 11th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Masterful Data Viz, Blog - Masterful impact Stories, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Simple Data Collection, Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Systems Change is a Goal, NOT a Destination

VIDEO: Systems Change is a Goal, NOT a Destination

VIDEO: I constantly see posts and blogs about the importance of the social sector making meaningful systems change. While systems change is a crucial goal, it's not something we're actually able to measure or be sure we can even ever accomplish. This is hard to explain - but I'm going to give it a first try here.

By |September 11th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Masterful Data Viz, Blog - Masterful impact Stories, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Simple Data Collection, Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Systems Change is a Goal, NOT a Destination

Trust-based Partnerships Make Way for Systems Change

It's through the collective efforts of Trust-based Philanthropy, the Equitable Evaluation Initiative, Capitalize Good, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, the Council on Foundations, the Council of Nonprofits, Fund for Shared Insight, Listen4Good, and their sister organizations, that we are moving closer to shifting power across the sector and toward the systems change we all envision.

VIDEO: Trust-based Partnerships Make Way for Systems Change

VIDEO: It's through the collective efforts of Trust-based Philanthropy, the Equitable Evaluation Initiative, Capitalize Good, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, the Council on Foundations, the Council of Nonprofits, Fund for Shared Insight, Listen4Good, and their sister organizations, that we are moving closer to shifting power across the sector and toward the systems change we all envision.

By |August 27th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Masterful Data Viz, Blog - Masterful impact Stories, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Simple Data Collection, Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Uncategorized, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Trust-based Partnerships Make Way for Systems Change

Scientific Rigor in the Social Sector

Basic and applied research require scientific rigor, Nonprofits and their funders are practitioner. Practitioner rigor is also important, but it looks very different than scientific rigor.  You do not - and cannot - be scientifically rigorous with your data. But, you do need to thoughtfully and intentionally engage in rigorous practices. Let's call these high quality practices.

By |August 14th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Uncategorized|Comments Off on Scientific Rigor in the Social Sector

VIDEO: Scientific Rigor in the Social Sector

VIDEO: Basic and applied research require scientific rigor, Nonprofits and their funders are practitioner. Practitioner rigor is also important, but it looks very different than scientific rigor.  You do not - and cannot - be scientifically rigorous with your data. But, you do need to thoughtfully and intentionally engage in rigorous practices. Let's call these high quality practices.

By |August 14th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Scientific Rigor in the Social Sector

Part 3: Project GROWS Links Individual Success with a Vision for Systems Change

Project GROWS uses their Strategic Impact Map™ to plan out how they track mission fulfillment. This is a second blog about the first step of the ImpactStory™ Strategy – and how creating a Solid Framework provides the basis for telling powerful impact stories.

By |June 4th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Part 3: Project GROWS Links Individual Success with a Vision for Systems Change

VIDEO: Part 3 – Linking Individual Success to Systems Change Project GROWS

VIDEO: Project GROWS uses their Strategic Impact Map™ to plan out how they track mission fulfillment. This is a second blog about the first step of the ImpactStory™ Strategy – and how creating a Solid Framework provides the basis for telling powerful impact stories.

By |June 4th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Part 3 – Linking Individual Success to Systems Change Project GROWS

Part 2: Project GROWS’ Tracks Mission Fulfillment

Project GROWS uses their Strategic Impact Map™ to plan out how they track mission fulfillment. This is a second blog about the first step of the ImpactStory™ Strategy – and how creating a Solid Framework provides the basis for telling powerful impact stories.

By |May 6th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Part 2: Project GROWS’ Tracks Mission Fulfillment

VIDEO: Part 2: Project GROWS’ Tracks Mission Fulfillment

VIDEO: Project GROWS uses their Strategic Impact Map™ to plan out how they track mission fulfillment. This is a second blog about the first step of the ImpactStory™ Strategy – and how creating a Solid Framework provides the basis for telling powerful impact stories.

By |May 6th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Part 2: Project GROWS’ Tracks Mission Fulfillment

Part 1: How Project GROWS Sets Up Their Impact Story

A Strategic Impact Map™ is an improvement on traditional logic models. While traditional logic models are focused on “inputs” (i.e., the resources nonprofits are seeking from funders), a Strategic Impact Map™ starts with what’s most important to the social sector, which is Mission. Learn about Strategic Impact Maps™ by learning about how Project Grows created theirs.

By |April 24th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Part 1: How Project GROWS Sets Up Their Impact Story

VIDEO: Part 1: How Project GROWS Sets Up Their Impact Story

VIDEO: A Strategic Impact Map™ is an improvement on traditional logic models. While traditional logic models are focused on “inputs” (i.e., the resources nonprofits are seeking from funders), a Strategic Impact Map™ starts with what’s most important to the social sector, which is Mission. Learn about Strategic Impact Maps™ by learning about how Project Grows created theirs.

By |April 24th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Part 1: How Project GROWS Sets Up Their Impact Story

A Transformation of Program Evaluation

I have transformed traditional program evaluation into a first-of-its-kind framework and toolbox you can use day-to-day to track mission fulfillment and iteratively improve programs, separately or collaboratively together. Read about the ImpactStory™ Strategy and my upcoming book!

VIDEO: A Transformation of Program Evaluation

VIDEO: I have transformed traditional program evaluation into a first-of-its-kind framework and toolbox you can use day-to-day to track mission fulfillment and iteratively improve programs, separately or collaboratively together. Read about the ImpactStory™ Strategy and my upcoming book!

How to Turn Narrative Survey Responses into Data You Can Use

I almost always recommend including open-ended questions at the end of surveys. This allows you to get some free-form, narrative responses from your clients. These narrative responses can be rich and detailed, and can give you valuable, unexpected information. But, what do you DO with them?!?

By |March 9th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis|Comments Off on How to Turn Narrative Survey Responses into Data You Can Use

VIDEO: How to Turn Narrative Survey Responses into Data You Can Use

VIDEO: I almost always recommend including open-ended questions at the end of surveys. This allows you to get some free-form, narrative responses from your clients. These narrative responses can be rich and detailed, and can give you valuable, unexpected information. But, what do you DO with them?!?

By |March 9th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: How to Turn Narrative Survey Responses into Data You Can Use

Why Benchmarking Doesn’t Work in the Social Sector

Benchmarking in the social sector is tricky because – while more productivity (i.e., serving more people) and more impact (i.e., more goodness in the world) seem like they would always be desirable – that’s not always the case! More is not necessarily better, and efficiency is often not the goal.

By |February 26th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis|Comments Off on Why Benchmarking Doesn’t Work in the Social Sector

VIDEO: Why Benchmarking Doesn’t Work in the Social Sector

VIDEO: Benchmarking in the social sector is tricky because – while more productivity (i.e., serving more people) and more impact (i.e., more goodness in the world) seem like they would always be desirable – that’s not always the case! More is not necessarily better, and efficiency is often not the goal.

By |February 26th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Why Benchmarking Doesn’t Work in the Social Sector

VIDEO: 3 Tips for Getting AUTHENTIC Survey Responses

VIDEO: Nonprofit clients are often grateful, and they probably don't want to insult you. How do you not just get a lot of "strongly agree" answers that don't help you improve programming? Read more about three tips to help ensure they tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly!

By |February 11th, 2024|Categories: Blog - Simple Data Collection, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: 3 Tips for Getting AUTHENTIC Survey Responses

The Trick to Defining Success in the Social Sector

In 20+ years of working with social sector partners, I’ve never met a single person who does not really, really want there to be a single number – like “profit” – that nonprofits can use as a simple, clear indicator of success.

By |January 22nd, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works|Comments Off on The Trick to Defining Success in the Social Sector

VIDEO: The Trick to Defining Success in the Social Sector

VIDEO: In 20+ years of working with social sector partners, I’ve never met a single person who does not really, really want there to be a single number – like “profit” – that nonprofits can use as a simple, clear indicator of success.

By |January 22nd, 2024|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: The Trick to Defining Success in the Social Sector

Graphs that Help You Ask Important Questions

This weekend, I was thinking about how data can be used for good, and how data can be used for evil. So today, I thought I'd talk about how you can use graphs to understand your data in ways that build trust and understanding (good) or they can obscure the truth and promote stereotypes (evil).

By |December 4th, 2023|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis|Comments Off on Graphs that Help You Ask Important Questions

VIDEO: Graphs that Help You Ask Important Questions

VIDEO: This weekend, I was thinking about how data can be used for good, and how data can be used for evil. So today, I thought I'd talk about how you can use graphs to understand your data in ways that build trust and understanding (good) or they can obscure the truth and promote stereotypes (evil).

By |December 4th, 2023|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Graphs that Help You Ask Important Questions

A Strategy for Co-Building Knowledge

What if... we established uncomplicated, sector-specific structures, defined metrics, and capacity for tracking, analyzing, and using impact data?

VIDEO: A Strategy for Co-Building Knowledge

VIDEO: What if... we established uncomplicated, sector-specific structures, defined metrics, and capacity for tracking, analyzing, and using impact data?

Insights Lead to Action

I was meeting with a funder last week, and they were asking me to confirm they were making good data-driven insights. They were not feeling clear about exactly what an insight is. These are super smart and insightful people, so they can't be the only one wondering this. For all you co-wonderers - this blog's for you!

By |November 7th, 2023|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis|Comments Off on Insights Lead to Action

VIDEO: Insights Lead to Action

VIDEO: I was meeting with a funder last week, and they were asking me to confirm they were making good data-driven insights. They were not feeling clear about exactly what an insight is. These are super smart and insightful people, so they can't be the only one wondering this. For all you co-wonderers - this blog's for you!

By |November 7th, 2023|Categories: Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Videos|Comments Off on VIDEO: Insights Lead to Action

18 Ways to Say “Impact”

A topic that came up recently in the ImpactStory Academy is all the different words for IMPACT. I started a quick list and came up with 18 different words - I know, right!

Nonprofits CANNOT Measure Long-term Impact

I'm being provocative - and - once someone leaves services you can no longer control what happens. The world is a complex and chaotic place. Your clients use what you gave them immediately, later, or (sadly) never. You have literally no control.

By |September 12th, 2023|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Powerful Data Analysis, Blog - Programming that Works, Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on Nonprofits CANNOT Measure Long-term Impact

3 Data Culture Must-Have’s

I worked with an organization which wanted to be dedicated to collecting and using data. But, data was only seen as a fundraising tool, so they didn't create a positive data culture.

Why Nonprofits Should NOT do Program Evaluation

The scientific method just doesn't fit the budget, the mission, or the needs of nonprofits in the complex, day-to-day work of providing critical services. What the nonprofits I worked with needed was actionable data

Nonprofits & Strategic Data Collection

I had this wonderful opportunity to speak with Jay Smack on The Good Eye Podcast about the straightforward strategy I've developed that ensures nonprofits have data that helps them do work, and which communicates return on investment for funders - all this while being no more difficult to manage than a budget.

2 Reports You Should Read

When I was making a presentation last week, one of the nonprofit leaders in the group said "I'm realizing I'm not the only one not getting it right. It’s clearly a problem that smaller nonprofits have with measuring and talking about impact. Just hearing this is validating.”

4 Challenges for Nonprofit Storytelling and How to Overcome Them

The most effective corporate storytelling combines data, narrative, and visuals that draw people in by appealing to their intellectual curiosity and making them relate and care. But how do nonprofits do this?

By |December 5th, 2021|Categories: Blog - Extras, Blog - Masterful Data Viz, Blog - Masterful impact Stories|Comments Off on 4 Challenges for Nonprofit Storytelling and How to Overcome Them

The Strategy You Need

A Strategic Impact Map™ is a framework for telling your most powerful impact story. It’s a one-page document that tells an efficient story of, not only why and how your organization does good, but also how you are measuring it!

By |November 21st, 2021|Categories: Blog - Solid Framework|Comments Off on The Strategy You Need

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