How impact measurement works
Impact measurement helps you show funders, trustees and the people you support what a programme is achieving. In ThirdSectorBee it lives with each programme: you decide what to measure, some figures are counted for you from work your team already records, and the results feed dashboards and funder reports.
Who can use it
- Viewing anything about impact needs
impact:read:outcomesandprogrammes:read:programmes. Without both, the programme’s Impact tab is hidden and the Impact pages show You don’t have permission to view impact data. - Adding measurements, editing report narrative and recording outcomes needs
impact:write:outcomesas well.
The outcome framework
Each programme has one outcome framework: the set of things you measure for it. A framework has a type, shown on funder reports:
| Framework Type | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Logic Model | Tracing activities through outputs to outcomes and longer-term impact |
| Outcomes Star | Measuring change for individuals on a set of scales over time |
| Custom | Your own set of measures |
When you add the first measurement on a programme’s Impact tab, a Custom framework is created for it automatically. There’s no screen for choosing a different framework type: to use a Logic Model or Outcomes Star framework, import it from a file before adding measurements, or set it up through the Impact API.
Indicators and measurements
Each thing you measure is an indicator (the app calls it an impact measurement). Every indicator has a level and a measurement type.
| Level | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Output | What the programme delivers | 40 workshops run |
| Outcome | The change for the people taking part | 70% report feeling more confident |
| Impact | The longer-term difference | Fewer people returning to crisis services |
| Measurement type | Records |
|---|---|
| Count | A number of things |
| Percentage | A proportion |
| Score | A value on a scale |
| Yes / No | Whether something happened |
| Narrative | A written account, with no figure |
An indicator can be linked to a data point that ThirdSectorBee already records, so its figure is counted automatically, or kept by hand. Linked indicators can count Cases opened and Cases closed (Case Management) or Events delivered and People reached through events (Events). Income received (Finance) is listed but marked coming soon and can’t be chosen yet.
A measurement is a single recorded value or narrative against an indicator, for example the outcome recorded for one person when their case closes.
Where you work with impact
| Task | Where | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Set the outputs a programme aims for | Programme Edit page | Set programme objectives |
| Add outputs, outcomes and impacts | Programme Impact tab | Add and review impact measurements |
| See progress against targets | Impact in the sidebar | View the impact dashboard |
| Prepare a report for a funder | A funder report link | Review a funder report |
| Record outcomes when support ends | Closing a case | Record outcomes at case closure |
Reporting honestly
Linked figures count events in the system, not verified results. Before quoting a number to a funder, check what it counts: “People reached through events” is places offered, not attendance, and a case only counts towards a programme if it’s linked to it. Explain the basis of any figure you report.
Related: what is case management?