Impact?

 

Source:  GlobalCitizen.org

It All Comes Down to Impact

     No matter what you are selling, be it a new gadget on late night television, or an innovative social program, the final deciding factor of success is measured as impact.  In other words, “does it work?”  Did the product achieve the desired goal?  We can write elaborate mission statements and vision statements, create flashy presentations and brightly colored advertisements, use impressive buzz words and celebrity endorsements; however, if the end result does not meet the needs of the consumer, we have failed.  In social innovation, our target population’s needs must be identified clearly and goals set to meet those needs.  A vague mission statement indicates vague goals, and impact becomes difficult to measure. 

     Kevin Starr’s talk “Lasting Impact” describes a specific formula for a mission statement, and for evaluating impact.  By creating an 8-word (or less) mission statement with a verb (the action taken), target population or setting, and an outcome (impact), it becomes easier to conduct interim evaluations to determine if a program is working toward achieving the desired outcome.  Are (population) (verb)-ing toward (impact)?

Take this example:

Mission statement:  "Prevent (verb) homeless children (target) from going hungry (outcome)."

     A program is designed to build a community garden and encourage local homeless children to plant, tend and harvest vegetables.  The garden is attractive, and the children are excited about the project.  An interim evaluation indicates that although they enjoy tending the garden, the children are still frequently going hungry.  The children (population) are not preventing (verb) going hungry (outcome).  At this point it becomes clear that modifications need to happen to provide food resources during the growing season prior to harvest.

     Another aspect of Starr’s talk focuses on measurement of impact.  When determining impact, the following questions are asked:

“Is it needed?”

“Does it work?”

“Will it get to those who need it?”

“Will they use it right?”

     Going back to the homeless kids, measuring impact, we observe that yes, a source of food is needed.  Does it (the garden) work?  Maybe, but at the time of interim evaluation it is not working.  How can we fix this step?  This is how Starr’s two methods of mission statement and impact measurement work hand in hand to build successful social interventions.

There is a story frequently quoted in talks and on social media:

A person is running, hurling starfish deposited on the beach by a storm back into the sea. “What are you doing,” asks a passerby, “you can’t possibly throw all the starfish back. Your effort makes no difference.” “It makes a difference to this one,” replies the first person, who continues off down the beach.

     While this is a sweet, inspirational story describing the impact random acts of kindness can have, it is not a good example of true innovation and service, and does not represent productive goal-setting.  To truly make a change in the world requires thought, planning and goals.  For example, handing loose change to a person begging on a street corner makes a difference to that one, at that moment, on that day; however, it does not address the larger issue of poverty and homelessness that are the root causes of the person being there in the first place.  Imagine if everyone who handed a dollar to a beggar instead pooled those dollars together to fund an innovative social business that would provide income, housing, stability and a sense of personal value for this population.  Rather than one person hurling one starfish at a time, a whole population of starfish could be returned to the sea.

     I will still buy a meal for a homeless person, or pay for someone’s groceries at the store, because those small random acts of kindness do make a difference to one person, on one day.  But, I also am setting goals to make a larger impact in my community by identifying the root causes of local health problems and investigating ways to implement change.