Inspiring Impact secured for next three years by Big Lottery Fund grant

22 Aug 2018 News

The Inspiring Impact programme, which aims to improve impact measurement in the charity sector, has awarded £600,000 through the Big Lottery Fund.

The funding means that the programme, which started in 2012, has been secured until 2021. It has also been supplemented by £15,000 from City Bridge Trust.

The Inspiring Impact programme will be delivered by New Philanthropy Capital, NCVO Charities Evaluation Service, Social Value UK, Evaluation Support Scotland, Community Evaluation Northern Ireland and Wales Council for Voluntary Action to “continue supporting charities and funders across the United Kingdom to improve their impact practice”.

The funding continues the Inspiring Impact programme, which and has so far supported over 50,000 charities with over £1m funding, and brings it together with the Impact Management Programme, running since 2016. 

The BLF awarded the programme £600,000 in 2015, and provided £280,000 in 2012 when it was set up.

The Inspiring Impact programme is aimed at charities who want to understand and improve their impact, and offers grants that charities and social enterprises can spend on understanding improving their impact. Nearly £2m of grants have previously been awarded across the UK.

Inspiring Impact also has a website that brings together free resources from across the sector, including the Data Diagnostic, a 5-minute questionnaire that provides tailored recommendations about what data to collect. Over 100,000 people have used the website already.  

The programme also offers networks that “bring people together to share what works and learn from each other. The voluntary sector looks different in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales so local partners will adapt their activities to local demand”.

Sally Higham, independent chair of Inspiring Impact 2018-21 and chief executive of RunAClub, said: “We are delighted to have received this funding from the Big Lottery Fund. It’s a testament to the difference the project has made over its life so far, helping charities up and down the country understand - and prove - the difference they make. 

 “We have integrated elements of codesign into the program, with solid online resources, to ensure the content is as grass roots and charity led as possible. This will make what is a unique and vital programme even more useful for charities, reach more people and create more impact for charities across the UK.” 

 Joe Ferns, UK funding director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery funding, a number of charities and community organisations will be better equipped to measure the impact of their work. This will not only improve practise but also support organisations to explore how they grow and develop their services.”




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