Which impact framework is right for you?

An impact framework is specifically designed to help you establish goals in a structured, strategic, and tactical manner that aligns with your mission and vision.

🔍 Compare your options

What is an impact framework?

An impact framework is an interactive table where you can zoom out to see your impact and define success for your organization. 

Measuring across different dimensions allows you to discover insights about your impact. During the "define" phase, or the first step in this process, you can outline goals (objectives) and specific ways to measure progress towards them (Key Impact Indicators or KIIs) to build out a more thorough strategic view of your work.

Benefits of a strong impact framework

💪 Turn your vision, mission, and values into action. 

📈 Tell a data-driven story about your impact.

🏆 Access helpful insights for internal organizational decision-making.

🙌 Increase transparency for your stakeholders to generate more support.

Start by selecting the best impact framework template for your needs

To select one of the following four premade framework templates, you’ll need to know which category you fit into.

Are you an Impact Producer or an Impact Funder?

UpMetrics customers can be divided into two groups: Impact Producers and Impact Funders. Consider the definition of these groups to decide which impact framework template meets your needs.

Do you need a basic or advanced impact framework template?

Once you know if you want to work as an Impact Funder or an Impact Producer, you need to select a basic or advanced impact framework template to work with.

One initiative a time: Basic

A basic impact framework template is the most common option. It's best for analyzing one organizational initiative at a time and includes Dimensions, Objectives, and KIIs. 

Use this type of framework to analyze various objectives and metrics related to one initiative. For example, an organization might use the "Impact Funder Basic" template to outline who they serve, all of the programming they offer, the results of their hard work, and any other outcomes that have benefited their community.

A few organizational initiatives at a time: Advanced

Advanced impact frameworks have the option to add multiple pathways. Think of pathways as swim-lanes. They allow you to compare the strategic output of multiple different organizations with different objectives and KIIs across the same dimensions. 

Pathways may be useful for a foundation to measure a variety of initiatives they support. Let's say one foundation supports work in Workforce Development and Community Health Outcomes. They may have a pathway for each of these initiatives so they can oversee the broad impact of their work across the same Dimensions even though they can analyze Workforce Development and Community Health Outcomes with different Objectives and KIIs. 

For Funders: view your direct and indirect impact

Both Impact Funder impact framework templates have tabs labeled "Direct Impact" and "Indirect Impact" on the top of the screen.

Use the Direct Impact tab to view the impact of your core initiatives.

Use the Indirect Impact tab to view and measure the resulting impact of your core initiatives.

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Conclusion

In sum, you can clarify your impact with a solid impact framework. View your work strategically with clear goals (objectives), specific progress measurements (Key Impact Indicators or KIIs), pathways and direct/indirect impact views when relevant.

🎉 Awesome! Next, discover the best ways to define dimensions of impact!