How is one to know if the giving is creating any impact?

Donors are often bothered by how and how much is ones money working to create impact. Private enterprises have their earnings report, balance sheet and the tangible money for the shareholder to see their investment working. However, when one looks at the books of a non profit, one can seldom find anything that really creates value. This is because the value resides in its intangibles (reputation & goodwill, community relationships, the longevity of its operating history, the experience and competence of its people, culture, the integrity of character, organisational design, amongst others).

Funders and professionals often come up with sophisticated monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools which ends up counting that what does not count and fails to count that which really counts.

If one must really understand the impact being created by the non-profits, one should:

1. Engage for a longer term, our experience suggests at least 5 - 7 years.

2. Take time to understand the development process of the organisation, especially if those are experienced ones with decades of operating history

3. Embed oneself in the organisation, either by themselves or through a competent representation.

Engaging in this mode sitting miles away from these organisations is challenging. We have taken and continue to take such roles on behalf of donors.