NVPC, Tote Board launch guidebook to help non-profits measure impact
Funders and grant makers can use it as a reference point when engaging non-profits
[SINGAPORE] The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) on Friday (Aug 15) launched a guidebook in partnership with Tote Board, to provide tools for non-profits to measure their impact more effectively.
The publication of the guidebook, titled Guide to Impact Measurement – From Intent to Impact for Non-Profits, comes amid significant growth in the sector.
NVPC said: “With the number of registered charities in Singapore growing by more than 250 between 2021 and 2023, and sector receipts rising from S$13.9 billion to S$22.17 billion in the same period, robust and accessible impact measurement is increasingly important for non-profit organisations to demonstrate accountability, build trust with donors and supporters, and focus their efforts on achieving meaningful outcomes.”
The guidebook was developed in consultation with 36 charities, seven sector administrators and seven grant makers. Over the course of a year, there were workshops with 280 participants from 114 charities teaching foundational knowledge of impact measurement, as well as one-on-one consultancy support sessions for 20 selected charities.
The guidebook draws on insights from these activities, which came under the first phase of NVPC’s Impact Measurement Programme.
The centre noted that the guidebook “offers step-by-step guidance for non-profit organisations to implement and sustain effective impact measurement practices in their organisations”. Funders and grant makers can also use the guidebook as a reference point when engaging non-profits.
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Outcomes thus far
Arts organisation Oh! Open House, which participated in the Impact Measurement Programme’s first phase, found the workshops helpful in explaining impact measurement.
Lim Su Pei, deputy director of the charity, said: “One ongoing challenge is translating qualitative, story-based impact into language that funders, policymakers and partners understand.”
The workshops led Oh! Open House to redesign its surveys to collect more relevant data. The charity has also committed to a long-term 18-month impact measurement programme to more efficiently communicate outcomes to stakeholders.
Another participating charity, Stroke Support Station, said the workshops and consultation sessions helped in “sharpening” its understanding of impact measurement.
Khairul Mohd Khair, the organisation’s head of people and organisational development, said: “After phase one, our staff had a clearer framework and tools to strengthen our stakeholder relationships and storytelling.”
Phua Wee Seng, executive director and chief rare advocate of Rare Disorders Society, said phase one has enabled him to think more deeply about the outcomes of his organisation’s programmes and the long-term change he wants to see.
This is especially important as the charity gained its Institution of a Public Character status in 2022. Rare Disorders Society plans to apply impact measurement across its key programmes to improve stakeholder engagement.
Tote Board first developed an impact measurement framework – called “Theory of Change” – in 2022 to guide non-profits applying for its grants. This was refined in partnership with NVPC for broader reach and adoption across the sector.
The guidebook references this framework and teaches charities how to use it to analyse their own impact.
The second phase of the Impact Measurement Programme will begin in September, comprising workshops and peer-learning platforms. NVPC aims to support 400 non-profits by 2028.
“There is still a need to widen access to impact measurement knowledge and skills, and to strengthen sector-wide best practices,” said NVPC.
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