Welcome to our July impact round-up. Each month at NCVO Charities Evaluation Services we summarise the latest news in impact and evaluation and share useful guides, resources and data collection tools.
New report: Using evidence to improve your work
The Alliance for Useful Evidence has just published a report exploring how charities can use evidence to improve the way they work. Evidence for good: How charities use evidence to boost their influence and impact aims to help charities understand how they might use evidence when they’re first getting started, when they’re scaling up or when they’re influencing policy. It’s written for anyone working in the voluntary sector – whether a frontline practitioner dealing with clients, a CEO, or a trustee. The report showcases seven charities which have used different types of evidence to make their organisations more effective, from the early days of setting up a charity, to improving practice and changing the environment in which they operate.
How to convince naysayers to embrace impact practice
Struggling to convince colleagues that a focus on impact is worth it when you’re busy delivering in a small organisation? Our senior consultant Sini Rinne-Kerridge blogged for Inspiring Impact on how you can persuade them. Sini argues that it’s helpful to prepare a business case with key messages for different groups, to acknowledge that learning is not always easy, and to assure people that help is out there. To get started, try the Measuring Up! self-assessment for small organisations (with an annual income of less than £100,000 per year) – it helps you review and improve your impact practice.
Charity Commission research on public trust and confidence
The Charity Commission has published its latest research into public trust and confidence in charities (pdf, 1.8MB), finding that public trust in charities has plateaued since 2016. The research identifies ‘factors of trustworthiness’, including that the public want charities to live their values and to demonstrate impact. If you want to show how your charity makes a difference, our Knowhow Nonprofit site has a range of impact information and practical guides to help.
Interested in finding out more about trust, transparency and accountability of voluntary organisations? The NCVO/VSSN Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference 2018 will bring together academics, policy makers and practitioners to discuss the associated challenges for policy, practice and research. Book now to join us at NCVO on 6 and 7 September.
On the blogs and social media
- Monetpoly! Creative approaches to evaluation at the National Gallery.
- Have you got the right indicator? Chemonics has a ‘do you believe me?’ test.
- The Education Endowment Foundation looks at how to apply evidence in decision making.
- How do we find out why people withdraw from a service? NSPCC on why we should look at instances when a programme hasn’t worked well.
Training and events
NCVO provides training and events covering a range of topics, from impact to governance, volunteer management and data protection reform – with discounts for NCVO members (not a member? Find out more).
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Outcome and impact measurement (1-day course) – 4 September, 12 October or 4 December
- Outcome and impact measurement (2-day course) – 7 and 8 November
- Developing your theory of change – 11 September, 25 October or 11 December
- Writing a sustainable funding strategy – 25 and 26 September
- Collecting outcome and impact data – 14 November
- Strategic planning: creating the right process for your organisation – 16 November
- Better outcome and impact reporting – 21 November
We can also come to you. Our courses can be delivered at your venue, providing an affordable way to train groups of staff, trustees or volunteers. Contact us for more information.
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. 
