Welcome to our second impact round-up, produced by NCVO Charities Evaluation Services. Each month we summarise the latest news in impact and evaluation and share useful guides, resources and data collection tools.
Why evaluation is important for trustees
NCVO’s trustee conference on 14 November brought together 300 delegates from across the voluntary sector. We heard about why evaluation is important for trustees in our workshop ‘Impact: beyond the report’. Guest speakers Ellie Southwood, Chair of RNIB, and Wayne Bulpitt, Chair of the Diana Award, stressed that focused, relevant evaluation should be a core part of how a charity operates – helping trustees understand what has and hasn’t been achieved and to make better strategic decisions. If you’re a trustee or know a trustee who wants to improve their understanding of impact, read our how-to guide.
Writing impact and evaluation reports
Have you got a report due? Writing an impact or evaluation report is a great opportunity to share key findings and recommendations with internal and external audiences – from staff and volunteers to funders, partners and policymakers. A report can communicate your value, suggest changes to how you work or share good practice with other organisations. Read our guide on how to write an evaluation report.
Collecting data across networks
Charity LawWorks have published a learning review on how monitoring information about service delivery, quality and outcomes can be collected across networks. Based on interviews with organisations who’ve done it, the review explores culture and attitudes to monitoring, uses of information, planning and development and how networks can be supported to collect information. Case studies from the Childhood Bereavement Network, Riding for the Disabled and Women’s Aid are also included.
Evaluating anti-prejudice work
New guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission aims to help organisations measure the effectiveness of projects to tackle, prevent or reduce prejudice, discrimination, identity-based violence or harassment. Written for project coordinators, policymakers and evaluation managers, the guidance identifies eight principles which apply across the voluntary sector, statutory bodies, central and local government and those responsible for funding.
On the blogs
- NCVO’s Amira Chilvers reflects on providing consultancy through the Impact Management Programme.
- Esmée Fairbairn Foundation talk about being under the microscope for IVAR’s Evaluation Roundtable
- Inspiring Impact tells us how to use big data.
Training and events
NCVO provides training and events covering a range of topics, from impact to governance, volunteer management and data protection reform.
Book on any of our January to March 2018 impact courses below by 15 December 2017 and receive a course fee discount – 10% off one place, 15% off two places or 20% off three places.
- Outcome and impact measurement (one-day course) – 11 January
- Developing your theory of change – 18 January
- Outcome and impact measurement (two-day course) – 7 & 8 February
- Collecting outcome and impact data – 13 February
- Better outcome and impact reporting – 22 February
- Outcome and impact measurement (one-day course) – 2 March
- Developing your theory of change – 6 March
- How to assess the outcomes of funded work (course for funders and commissioners) – 23 March
Harriet is a senior consultant at NCVO Charities Evaluation Services – the team helps voluntary organisations, volunteering programmes and their funders with practical impact measurement and evaluation. 
