“We use the ‘theory of change,' assuming how change will occur in the short, medium and long term. As part of it, we developed our own system of indicators, which helps to see the results. Each program has a different one, but they are all governed by the same standards and principles. The monitoring and evaluation system includes all participants in the activities – the foundation, regional operators, and beneficiaries – and this helps all of us develop, make informed strategic and management decisions, and achieve significant social changes,” says Maria Morozova.
The system has a pyramid structure:
• the lower level is the direct results of the foundation's work (number of events, trained specialists, newly developed methodological materials, etc.);
• the middle is the results achieved by the supported projects (changes in the lives of the people for whom the foundation works – children saved in their families, jobs, co-financing for the development of the city, etc.);
• the third, uppermost level is the long-term social impact, the change at the societal level of the situation that underlies the program. This is usually determined through external independent research.
Another winner in this category was the Help Needed foundation for creating the Core IT service, which allows socially oriented non-profit organizations to create reports, plan goals, and measure social impact[24].
Elizaveta Yaznevich, head of research at the Nuzhna Pomosh (Help Needed) foundation, told about other projects that the foundation developed in 2022. For example, the foundation's team of experts prepared a guide on creating and evaluating impact projects for the Sistema Charitable Foundation[25].
“We studied the experience of Sistema JSFC Group companies – the experience is varied in many ways, and together we formulated the criteria for classifying a project supported by business as an impact investment. The goal of such investments is to achieve a positive, measurable social or environmental effect – simultaneously with the business result; all the expected results of the project are measurable and attainable; the effect achieved is long-term. In addition, based primarily on the literature dedicated to monitoring and evaluation of social projects, we have prescribed methodological guidelines for all stages of the impact investment project cycle. In its final form, the guide is designed for a wide target audience: from the shareholder making the decision to invest to the employee generating the project idea,” says Elizaveta Yaznevich.