Project Overview
Birmingham Disability Resource Centre (DRC) is a powerhouse of support and advocacy for local people with disabilities. They do incredible work, but like many organisations in the social sector, they needed a solid way to measure and articulate the impact they were making.
The senior leadership team at DRC recognised the importance of not just doing good work, but also being able to demonstrate that work’s impact—both to funders and the communities they serve. My role was to guide them through this process, helping to create tools that would make impact measurement an integral part of their operations.
Over the course of the project, we developed two key deliverables: An impact framework and a Theory of Change document. These tools were designed to help DRC’s senior leadership team not only track their outcomes, but also tell a compelling story about the difference they’re making in Birmingham and the wider Midlands area.
Project Outcome
Here’s how we turned ideas into actionable impact tools for DRC:
- Impact Framework with Indicator and Outcomes Map:
- We worked together to build a comprehensive impact framework that aligned with DRC's mission and goals. This framework included a detailed indicator and outcomes map, which laid out exactly how their activities translate into measurable results. The purpose of the map was also to serve as a living document that the team could refer to regularly, ensuring that they were always clear on how their work was driving impact.
- Theory of Change Document:
- To support the framework, we also developed a Theory of Change document. This wasn't just about drawing lines between activities and outcomes—it was about capturing the essence of what DRC aims to achieve and how they plan to get there. The Theory of Change provided a strategic lens for the senior leadership team, helping them stay focused on long-term impact while also giving them the flexibility to adapt their approach as needed.
- Strategic Clarity and Direction:
- The process of creating these tools had an unexpected but welcome side effect: It allowed the senior leadership team to gain new insights into DRC's impact and discovered ways to align their strategies even more closely with their mission, so their outcomes could be more ‘organisationally driven rather than just funder driven’ This clarity helped to galvanise the team around a shared vision for the future.
- Enhanced Reporting and Accountability:
- With the impact framework and Theory of Change in place, DRC is now better equipped to report on their outcomes in a clear and compelling way. This has not only strengthened their accountability to stakeholders, but also provided them with a strong narrative to attract future funding and partnerships.
- Ongoing Impact Assessment:
- The tools we created are designed to be used continuously, not just as one-off documents. Subsequently, DRC now has a robust system for regularly assessing their impact, allowing them to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve their services.
TL;DR The collaboration with DRC was all about helping them articulate the incredible value of their community work. By the end of our project, they had a solid foundation for measuring and communicating their impact—an essential step in ensuring that they can continue to serve the disability community with even greater effectiveness.
N.B: All work with Birmingham Disability Resource Centre was funded by Big Issue Invest for whom JMK & Co was an associate Business Consultancy.
