Most evaluation terminology is not complicated, it just sounds complicated. Once you've got the vocabulary, the ideas underneath it are things you already understand instinctively from running your programs day to day.

We're going to walk through the terms that come up most often when talking about Impact Evaluation, in plain language, using examples from real-life organizations so hopefully by the end you'll feel confident enough to go after that grant application and start digging deeper into the world of Impact Evaluation!

Let’s talk about outputs and outcomes.

Data collection for nonprofits has always been important. It helps us understand the communities we serve and to monitor and measure the impacts of our work. Data collection helps inform the future direction of our work, it helps identify gaps and challenges, and it informs funders about not only our impact, but also about what is happening on the ground. Last but certainly not least, data collection helps us grow, maintain, and strengthen community relationships!