10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back As highlighted in a Chronicle of Philanthropy webinar titled “How MacKenzie Scott and Melinda French Gates Are Transforming Philanthropy,” these mega-donors are challenging traditional giving norms and emphasizing the importance of nonprofits proving their impact. The influx of transformational gifts from donors like Scott and Gates is exciting and offers unprecedented opportunities for nonprofit organizations to advance their missions. However, there is an even more transformative practice that could benefit the entire sector, not just those fortunate enough to receive mega-grants: the ability for all nonprofits to understand, measure, and share their impact with every donor, regardless of size. Many nonprofits struggle with effectively communicating the difference they are Myth #1 You Can’t Implement an making in their communities. While the idea of transformational giving is inspiring, theImpact Management Solution broader nonprofit sector still lacks clear,Until You Know Everything You actionable steps to follow in enhancing their impact reporting. Want to MeasureOutcome measures are required to demonstrate how your At the core of any nonprofit’s success isorganization is achieving your mission and goals and bringing its ability to evaluate its work and conveyabout change in the life of participants. Most nonprofit the results. Impact measurement is a vitalorganizations are just getting started with measuring impact and process that informs program development,aren’t exactly sure what to measure. ensures accountability, and attracts funding. Unfortunately, there are many commonThat’s why SureImpact has a library of over 400 best-practice misconceptions that frequently preventoutcome measures ready to get you started. During the nonprofit leaders from implementing impactonboarding experience, our Customer Success team provides measurement strategies and tools.best-practice recommendations to help organizations knowwhat to measure to get started. In addition, SureImpact enables In this guide, we address ten common mythssystem administrators to create custom outcome measures as about implementing impact measurementyou advance on your impact measurement journey. strategies and solutions and share stories about nonprofit organizations who successfully overcame the myths. Page 2 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back CUSTOMER STORY Second Nurture is a nonprofit organization that provides support for individuals and families looking to foster and adopt children. They help families explore, pursue, and thrive in fostering and adoption by mobilizing communities to support them every step of the way. When the Second Nurture team began the SureImpact onboarding experience, they weren’t certain what specific outcome measures would help them know if the individuals they were serving were better off as a result of their programs and services. The SureImpact Customer Success team worked closely with the Second Nurture team to provide best-practice recommendations aligned with their mission. Myth #2 I Can’t Afford Impact Measurement Software Because of Limited Budget for Overhead Costs Impact measurement technology is considered a program cost and not an overhead cost. Funders are surprised how few organizations include outcomes and impact measurement software into their programmatic budget. Funders are asking nonprofits to provide impact and outcomes data, and they understand the effort and investment it takes to make it happen. Quality impact measurement software helps your organization track who you serve, what services you provide, and how your program participants are better off as a result. CUSTOMER STORY The Collaborative Arts Impact Initiative (CAII) is a collaborative project designed to revolutionize how arts organizations measure and communicate their impact. SureImpact provides the technology infrastructure for CAII, giving arts organizations a real-time impact measurement tool specifically designed for the creative sector. SureImpact enables arts organizations to demonstrate both their quantitative and qualitative effects on communities in ways that go beyond traditional metrics like economic contributions. Page 3 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Angela Meleca, founder of Meleca Creative Advisors, is spearheading the Collaborative Arts Impact Initiative. Angela was very successful in raising funds for the technological infrastructure that connects CAII because it is considered part of the cost of running their innovative programs. CAII has twenty arts organizations participating in the initial pilot, with more on the waiting list for the next phase. Myth #3 I Can’t Afford to CUSTOMER STORY Measure Impact Because Only Families Flourish is an innovative nonprofit focused on creating a more equitable community for families by Organizations with Big Budgets empowering them to achieve and succeed through a holistic support initiative. Families Flourish provides a Can Do Impact Measurement and support network that empowers families to address Evaluation. their total needs over a 3-year period, reversing historic barriers by fostering greater inclusivity, equality, Though this myth may have been true in the past, it is opportunity and access to housing, education, and not true today. SureImpact was specifically designedfamily wellness. to automate the manual and costly processes in impact evaluation, including data collection, cleansing,Families Flourish uses a one-program SureImpact aggregation, and analysis. license to simplify the process for measuring individual and family life outcomes, and to prove they are better SureImpact simplifies data collection and automatically off as a result of their programming. aggregates the data for easy analysis in SureImpact Analytics. In addition, SureImpact offers licenses Amy Klaben, co-founder and CEO of Families Flourish for small organizations with only one program. The said, “The insights available in SureImpact enable one-program license makes it affordable for small us to understand and communicate to our donors organizations to measure, understand, and share their and community stakeholders about participant impact, while larger organizations can manage multiple improvements in areas such as health, child programs within SureImpact. development, financial security, employment stability, and income.” Page 4 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Myth #4 I Can’t Measure My Organization’s Impact Because I Can’t Possibly Add One More Thing to My Plate. Nonprofit leaders are probably all too familiar with “wearing too many hats.” Successful leaders work hard to see that the organization fulfills its mission effectively and efficiently, but it probably seems like there are never enough hours or financial resources in the day.We frequently have nonprofit leaders tell us that they would love to have outcomes and impact data available for funders and stakeholders, but they just can’t add one more thing to their plate. While this is a totally understandable feeling, SureImpact actually saves nonprofit leaders time and resources, and helps you earn more money with demonstrable outcomes and impact data.CUSTOMER STORYWestern Youth Services (WYS) is the hub of outpatient mental health care and wellness solutions for children in Orange County, California. For over 50 years, WYS has been providing integrated services and programs that empower children, families, and communities to succeed.Lorry Leigh Belhumeur, Ph.D. has been the CEO of Western Youth Services for over 20 years. She is a subject matter expert who is frequently sought out for speaking engagements and training on the topics of resilience, toxic stress, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma-informed care.With her extremely busy schedule, Dr. Belhumeur needed a way to quickly understand how Western Youth Services is advancing awareness, cultivating success, and strengthening communities through integrated mental health services for children, youth, and families. SureImpact automatically aggregates all of the data across WYS’s 5 locations and makes it easy for Dr. Belhumeur to quickly view program and organizational outcomes. Page 5 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Myth #5 I Can Push Off Investing in Impact Measurement Because It’s Not Urgent. Delaying investing in impact measurement can hinder effectiveness and sustainability. Research consistently shows that impact measurement is crucial for demonstrating accountability and effectiveness to donors, stakeholders, and the public. For instance, a survey by the National Council of Nonprofits found that 76% of nonprofit decision-makers prioritize measuring impact, yet only 29% feel they are effective at demonstrating outcomes. This gap highlights the urgent need for user- friendly impact measurement systems. Additionally, impact measurement helps nonprofits identify areas for improvement, allocate resources more efficiently, and communicate their value, which is essential for securing funding and support. Delaying this investment can result in missed opportunities for growth and reduced donor confidence, ultimately affecting the nonprofit’s ability to fulfill its mission. SureImpact ensures that nonprofits have the outcomes data they need, precisely when they need it, to never miss out on funding opportunities. By providing a comprehensive and user-friendly platform for tracking and reporting impact, SureImpact enables organizations to generate real-time insights and detailed reports that meet donor expectations. This proactive approach not only enhances transparency and accountability but also strengthens the nonprofit’s case for support, ensuring they are always prepared to demonstrate their impact and secure necessary funding. Page 6 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back CUSTOMER STORY: THE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE Mayor Ginther has highlighted the importance of in- depth outcome measurement for demonstrating the Over the past several years, the City of Columbus has impact of afterschool programs and securing continued made significant investments in school and afterschool funding. He stated, “By measuring the outcomes of programming. In the proposed 2025 budget, Mayor our afterschool programs, we can ensure that we are Andrew J. Ginther allocated $26.8 million for summer, providing the best possible support for our youth. This after-school, and job-readiness programming to data allows us to see what is working and where we keep Columbus youth safe, active, and engaged. need to make improvements, ensuring that every dollar This substantial investment underscores the city’s spent is making a real difference in the lives of our commitment to supporting the educational and children.” developmental needs of its young residents. The Learning Collaborative’s use of SureImpact One of the standout initiatives benefiting from this exemplifies why it is imperative for nonprofits to invest funding is The Learning Collaborative, a collective in impact measurement now rather than waiting. By impact initiative comprising various afterschool committing to tracking outcomes data, these programs programs working with middle school students. Funded can provide clear evidence of their success and areas by the City of Columbus, The Learning Collaborative for improvement. This data-driven approach not only is dedicated to providing enriching and supportive enhances transparency and accountability but also environments for students during critical afterschool strengthens the case for current and future funding. hours. In a landscape where funding decisions are To ensure the effectiveness and accountability of these increasingly influenced by measurable outcomes, The programs, The Learning Collaborative has partnered Learning Collaborative’s proactive stance on impact with SureImpact. By leveraging SureImpact’s advanced measurement sets a powerful example. It demonstrates platform, all funded programs within the collaborative that with the right tools and commitment, nonprofits have access to real-time information on their impact. can effectively showcase their impact, secure necessary This includes seamless roll-up of program outputs and resources, and continue making a positive difference in outcomes, enabling comprehensive reporting on the their communities. effectiveness of these initiatives. Page 7 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Myth #6 Your Program Team Has to Spend Hours Crunching Numbers for Your Grant Writers and Development Team. It is very common for nonprofit development teams to rely heavily on program teams to provide dataCUSTOMER STORY necessary for grant applications and fundraising Senior Programs Manager at TCAA, Megan Wilson, appeals. When a grant writer or development manager MSW said “TCAA is required to track every activity finds an opportunity, they typically have to disrupt related to SNAP. Before switching to SureImpact, I had to the program staff from doing their everyday work compile information from 24-26 separate spreadsheets in order to scramble to get the grant out. Sometimes to determine individual staff counts, monthly counts, organizations decide to abandon potential grant and quarterly counts. As you can imagine, this was very opportunities because their program team doesn’t time-consuming. have time to pull all of the necessary numbers for the application. The SureImpact Customer Success team helped me quickly design and implement a solution where staff SureImpact automates this approach and makes it can easily track each SNAP activity as it occurs. I now easier to win your next grant. Your grant writers and/or have all the SNAP activity data in one location that I development team can log into SureImpact and see all can quickly access and pull reports from whenever of your organization’s data within SureImpact Analytics I need to. SureImpact has saved me many hours on in real time. There is no need for the program team reporting each month that I can now use to improve our to spend countless hours analyzing data for a grant programs and better serve those who need it most.” application. Page 8 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Myth #7 Implementing New Software Takes Forever Many nonprofit leaders are hesitant about implementing new software because they are concerned it will be a long and complicated process. This is usually due to past experience or from hearing stories from colleagues. The SureImpact team knows you are incredibly busy and need to focus your time on serving your clients. That’s why we have developed a software that is designed to be fast and hassle-free, ensuring you can start leveraging our platform in no time. With our streamlined setup process, most organizations are fully operational within four to six weeks. Myth #8 I Must Have an In- CUSTOMER STORY House Data Analyst to do Impact Women’s Services Inc. provides help in various ways Measurement. to physically, emotionally, mentally, and sexually abused children and adults in the Crawford County, Organizations talk a lot about the work they do and the Pennsylvania area. Despite having multiple programs number of lives affected, but are these people really with unique data collection and reporting requirements, better off? And how can nonprofit leaders know if they the SureImpact Customer Success team was able to getare truly making a difference if they don’t have an in- Women’s Services Inc. onboarded in less than a monthhouse data analyst? from start to finish. That’s it. You don’t have to worry about a long and complicated process. SureImpact helps mission-driven professionals move beyond simply measuring what they did (outputs) to how individuals, families, and communities are better off (outcomes and impact). SureImpact Founder and CEO, Sheri Chaney Jones recognized the critical need for an impact measurement solution that automatically aggregates and analyzes data, builds capacity for direct service providers, and enables them to collaborate with funders to improve outcomes for individuals and families. 9 Page 9 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back CUSTOMER STORY physical development, language development, literacy, academic skills/cognitive development, and self-help Future Ready Five, a pioneering initiative in Central and social-emotional skills. By uploading extensive Ohio, focuses on enhancing early childhood education measures into the SureImpact platform, Future Ready through a collaborative impact measurement platform. Five can effectively monitor, analyze, and enhance Future Ready Five implements early childhood learning these critical areas of development without the need for screeners in preschools to drive targeted interventions an in-house data analyst. and track improvements in children’s readiness for kindergarten at individual, classroom, school, and As a result of this innovative approach, children city-wide levels. Future Ready Five also provides who participate in Future Ready Five’s programs professional development so teachers can use these demonstrate significant improvements in school screeners. readiness, including enhanced language and cognitive skills and increased literacy competencies. These Utilizing comprehensive early childhood assessments, improvements translate to a more prepared and Future Ready Five evaluates key predictors of school confident entry into kindergarten, setting a strong success in children aged 3 to 5. These screeners cover foundation for future academic success. Page 10 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Myth #9 Shared Measurement in Collective Impact Initiatives is Next to Impossible. The Stanford Social Innovation Review introduced the idea of collective impact in 2011, and it has steadily grown in popularity since. Collective impact is a structured approach to collaboration across government, business, philanthropy, nonprofits, and citizens in order to address complex social problems. While collective impact initiatives are becoming more and more widespread, it is a common misunderstanding that it is almost impossible to do shared measurement because of the complexity of sharing data between organizations. SureImpact has a collaborative data-sharing model designed specifically for collective impact initiatives. All organizations within the collaborative either directly enter data into SureImpact or upload data from a different software solution, and then disaggregated, anonymous data rolls up in real-time to the collaborative’s backbone organization. Individual organizations can also use this shared information to understand their own contribution to the collective impact initiative. CUSTOMER STORY The Siemer Institute is dedicated to assisting families in need across the United States achieving greater housing stability and enhancing their children’s educational outcomes. At the heart of their mission is the commitment to a two-generation (2Gen) approach to collective impact.Page 11 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back Through their 70+ funded partners and 150+ service providers across 39 states, they support 2Gen programs that are centered on keeping children in their schools and preventing unplanned moves. This approach ensures that families receive the comprehensive support they need to thrive. In 2023, the Siemer Institute’s community partners reached 20,190 families and positively impacted 44,575 children. The Siemer Institute network reported: » 75% housing stability, up from 71% in 2022 » 67% income stability, up from 62% in 2022 » 96% education stability among children served Kimberly Habash Dorniden, President & National Executive Director of The Siemer Institute said, “Our goal at the Siemer Institute is to create connected communities where all children thrive. As a funder that is investing in over 70 programmatic partnerships across the country, it is important to have access to real-time data. Having access to the data at the client level as well as regional level allows us to analyze results and turn that information into learning opportunities that can be shared across our network. With SureImpact, our process is streamlined and we have much more confidence in our reporting and data.“Myth #10 Measuring Impact is Boring and Painful. SureImpact makes it easy. We are passionate about enabling nonprofits and their funders to measure and share their impact stories. We recognize that data collection and reporting can be daunting, especially for smaller organizations with limited resources. That’s why we’ve designed our platform to be user-friendly and accessible, regardless of an organization’s size or technical expertise. By removing the barriers to effective impact measurement, we empower nonprofits to tell their stories more compellingly and persuasively. Page 12 | 10 Myths About Impact Measurement Software That Are Holding You Back CUSTOMER STORY “Now that we have SureImpact, we have real-time data that we can share with funders. We can tell them at any Center of Hope Family Services (CHFS) is an innovative point in time how our children are making progress. social-good agency dedicated to improving the That means we don’t have to wait for our grant cycle, life outcomes of adults, children, and families. an annual cycle, to make that case. We can really hone CHFS empowers individuals who have often been in on helping schools meet their goals and relating unsuccessfully served by other systems in the Toledo, it to their report card data and focusing on the kids Ohio urban and metropolitan areas. that have the most need. We can also now speak with even more specificity as to why the dollars funders are After meeting with SureImpact CEO, Sheri Chaney Jones investing in our programs will make a difference.” in 2020, the CHFS leadership team realized there were additional opportunities for using data to increase the CONCLUSION efficiency of their programming, improve outcomes for their clients, and increase CHFS’s overall impact The success of any nonprofit hinges on its ability to in the community. They knew the time was right for assess its efforts and communicate the outcomes. implementing SureImpact.Measuring impact is an essential process that guides program improvement, ensures accountability, and “Center of Hope has a critical mission in our community,helps secure funding. Sadly, numerous common so I’m always keen to make sure we have what we misconceptions often discourage nonprofit leaders need when we need it,” said Dr. Perryman. “I needed a from adopting impact measurement strategies and dashboard that enabled me to check on programs at tools. any point in time. Now if funders have questions, or our evaluation team needs access to the data, they can Now that you have learned about the ten common quickly get what they need. No more worrying about myths about implementing impact measurement mistakes or lost data.” strategies and solutions, are you ready to start measuring and sharing your impact? “In addition, our annual revenue went up by 50% when we started calculating and sharing our social returnContact us at info@sureimpact.com or 614-826-7774 to on investment in 2020, and our annual revenue has schedule a demo today. increased steadily ever since,” said Dr. Perryman.SureImpact is the only impact management and reportingsolution that is specifically designed for social-goodproviders and their funders.©2024 SureImpact, Inc.