Archive for 'Social Impact Measurement'

What the social innovator needs

What the social innovator needs

Posted on 11. Apr, 2012 by .

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Earlier this year, I asked everyone working within the social innovation field why we were not spreading proven approaches faster. I also said that the answer lay in linking resources to performance. When we efficiently connect resources to the highest performing organizations, we can truly start to spread approaches that work. Today, I ask: How? [...]

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The role of the funders in building social impact markets

Posted on 05. Mar, 2012 by .

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When it comes to accelerating progress on difficult social issues, I believe that we must focus singularly on directing resources towards programs based on performance. I also believe that the funder is the central driver of this process. With limited resources trying to make progress on unlimited needs, “doing more with less” must focus on [...]

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What social impact bonds mean for nonprofits and performance measurement

What social impact bonds mean for nonprofits and performance measurement

Posted on 25. Oct, 2011 by .

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Starting with the Obama administration including Social Impact Bonds in the FY12 budget to the Rockefeller Foundation’s recent $500,000 grant to Social Finance US, Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) have become the newest frontier of public innovation and an excellent way to further build social impact markets.

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Seeking the Next Generation of Philanthropists for a Twenty-First Century Approach to Solving Social Problems

Seeking the Next Generation of Philanthropists for a Twenty-First Century Approach to Solving Social Problems

Posted on 06. May, 2010 by .

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A familiar refrain to any reader of this blog is that the United States is not currently using its resources for solving social problems as effectively as it could be.  According to Giving USA, U.S. foundations and individual donors spend more than $300 billion annually on contributions to charity.  By U.S. Census Bureau figures, our [...]

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Response to comments on my Michelle Rhee post

Response to comments on my Michelle Rhee post

Posted on 14. Nov, 2009 by .

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Thanks for your comments; it’s clear that you are very passionate about the state of education in Washington, D.C. I welcome this kind of dialogue on the blog, and am glad that you have contributed. While I absolutely hear your points, I remain committed to my claim that Ms. Rhee is a public innovator. The [...]

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Performance Measurement – It’s Now or Never!

Performance Measurement – It’s Now or Never!

Posted on 04. Nov, 2009 by .

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Nonprofit performance measurement (also known by the names evaluation, metrics, outcomes, and logic models, among others) seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongues these days. The ‘measurement movement’ is not new – some might say it started well over a decade ago when the logic model came into fashion. What’s new today is [...]

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Does Measurement = Randomized Control Trials?

Does Measurement = Randomized Control Trials?

Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by .

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There is a debate going on about how to identify and invest in the highest-performing nonprofits – with a great emphasis on randomized control trial (RCT) studies. The RCT, a research methodology that involves randomly selecting subjects from a larger test group to receive an experimental product or service, is undoubtedly a rigorous way of [...]

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Debriefing SOCAP09

Debriefing SOCAP09

Posted on 08. Sep, 2009 by .

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It was really amazing to be at the SOCAP09 conference last week, and I wanted to share some great resources for those who weren’t able to attend and want to learn more about the conversations that took place there. The Pop!Tech blog has great summaries of different sessions during Day 1 and Day 2, all [...]

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Data – Collecting, Reporting, and Using it!

Data – Collecting, Reporting, and Using it!

Posted on 03. Mar, 2009 by .

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Good news: The Aspen Institute will host a series of gatherings to help the soon-to-be-established White House Office of Social Innovation engage in discussion about how best to proceed. This is a testament to Jane Wales, the Director of the Aspen Institute’s Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation. Aspen has always been a great convener, [...]

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