Consulting

The social sector is changing. Funders demand evidence of results, and communities in need deserve the best programs we can offer. Idealistics consulting services helps your organization report your outcomes to stakeholders and increase program impact.

Logic model

The logic model is at the core of your work. Therefore, our first step is to review (or create) your organization’s logic model.

We develop your logic model working backwards from the outcomes you ultimately aim to achieve, identifying measurable intermediate indicators and defining the underlying assumptions that bridge the gap between your program interventions and intended results.

Data collection strategy

With your logic model in place, our next step is to develop a data collection strategy. Depending on your program offering, this might include implementing a database system for outcomes tracking or working with volunteers and program partners to conduct periodic community surveys. Our expertise in survey instruments, social science, and database technologies enables us to help you develop and implement a solid data collection strategy.

Data and decisions

Data is only valuable in so far as it informs decision making. Before diving into your outcomes data, we help you and your team identify a clearly articulated research question. By laying out a research question and if-then scenarios before analyzing your data, your team will be well positioned to learn what you need to know to make critical program decisions.

Video reports

Ultimately, our goal is to help you instill a cultural commitment to managing to outcomes in your organization. Toward that end, we deliver our reports as both PDFs and videos with narrated walkthroughs of what your results in language accessible to staff and stakeholders alike. Our unique approach empowers you and your team to have ownership over your data, giving you better command of how to use outcomes data for program improvement and more credibility in reporting your successes to stakeholders.