Program activity metrics might tell us how many people have come through our doors or participated in our services, but not necessarily how deeply lives have been transformed and in what ways. Similarly, money metrics might tell us if our fundraising strategies are effective but not necessarily whether people prefer our programs or services over others.
The social sector as a whole has taken its eye off the ball and settled for measures of busy-ness and bustle instead of durable transformation. This is why, despite more funding and philanthropic investment over the past 50 years on every imaginable issue, poverty indicators remain utterly unchanged.
So, how can you begin to measure transformation?