Everyone's Story Counts: Measuring Social Impact in the Not-for-profit sector, an overview.

Main Article Content

Barbara Bloch

Abstract

As a lead-up to a symposium on measuring social impact in the not-for-profit sector, held in November 2011, the author conducted a small number of interviews (20) across the not for profit sector in Sydney, as to their views, concerns and issues regarding the measurement of social impact of their organisations' work within their communities. This paper provides a synthesis of these interviews, as well as situating social impact measurement within a broader economic and political frame. The paper draws the conclusion (confirmed by many at the above symposium) that the concept of collective impact - where a large number of diverse organisations collaborate through for example, agreed benchmarks of performance and shared measurements, in order to make a difference, and know that they have made a difference, to the lives of specific populations in need.

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Articles (refereed)
Author Biography

Barbara Bloch, University of Technology Sydney

Barbara Bloch is a Research Affiliate of the Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre at the University of Technology, Sydney.