Impact measures health check: how healthy is your charity’s data?

A lot of charities tell me, “We collect loads of data… I’m just not sure it’s the right data.” That’s usually a sign your impact measures are working for funders, but not always for the people running the service day to day.

This impact measures health check is for live services under day-to-day pressure. The ones where staff, volunteers and partners are already busy and you can’t drop in a big framework.

It takes about 2 minutes. Answer for how things really are today, not how you wish they were.

Quick impact measures health check

Keep a note of how many Yes and how many No answers you have.

Clarity

Does your charity have a clear, measurable and ambitious impact goal?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Are the metrics you collect directly tied to that goal?

☐ Yes ☐ No

People & relevance

Do you track no more than three key metrics that really matter right now?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Would a drop in any of those metrics get your team’s attention straight away?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Were these measures shaped with staff and, where it made sense, beneficiaries?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Keeping it working

Have you asked beneficiaries what outcomes matter most to them in the last year?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Is your impact training practical and interactive (not just slides)?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Do you review and tidy your metrics at least once a year?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Have you dropped any metrics that no one was using?

☐ Yes ☐ No

Do you track context (policy, funding, demand) so dips make sense?

☐ Yes ☐ No

What your score means

✅ Mostly Yes (8–10 yes answers)

You’ve got a healthy impact setup and people are using it.

Next: tidy old metrics and make sure context is captured.

🟰 Mix Yes/No (5–7 yes answers)

You’ve got the basics, but it’s harder for people to use day to day.

Next: co-design with staff/beneficiaries and drop what no one uses.

❌ Mostly No (0–4 yes answers)

You’re reporting, but it’s resource heavy and not helping the work.

Next: name one clear outcome and pick up to three measures for it.

Download the tool

If you want to share this with your team or use it in a meeting, grab the download:

• PDF version – print or share

• Accessible Word version – editable and screen-reader friendly

  
  

Both include the checklist and the results section. Choose the format that works best for you.

What next?

• Want the deeper thinking behind this? Read Impact measurement for charities

• Want to talk it through with someone who understands charity ops? We are here to help.

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Note: Copyright Insights2Outputs 2026. All Rights Reserved. This resource is provided for informational and illustrative purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice. Insights2Outputs Ltd. expressly disclaims any liability for outcomes resulting from use.