Impact measurement is the systematic process of finding out what real change your organisation, programme or project creates in people's lives and in society. It is not about reporting activities or outputs for a grant – it is about credible evidence of what works, for whom and why, so you can make better decisions, learn, and communicate results convincingly to funders and the public.

Our approach: measurement tailored to your capacity and budget, without academic jargon or unnecessary bureaucracy. We start from what you want to achieve and design the simplest credible way to measure it. Our emphasis is on learning, not just reporting.

Impact measurement is still a young field in Slovakia, and many organisations see it as expensive, time-consuming or overly academic. Our goal is the opposite: to make it understandable, proportionate and genuinely useful for your team – while rigorous enough to stand up to a demanding funder.

For funders and impact investors: we also work on the commissioning side – helping foundations, corporate foundations and impact investors specify, procure and oversee independent evaluations of their grantees and portfolio, so you can maximise the impact of your funding and make evidence-based decisions. We bring deep Theory of Change expertise and years of cooperation with leading foundations and corporate donors.

Why us

Experience you won't find elsewhere

One of the first CIEs in Europe

We were principal investigator on one of the first counterfactual impact evaluations (CIE) of early-childhood education in Europe – together with researchers from J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) and the World Bank.

25 years in the field

Hands-on impact measurement with dozens of real organisations – from small NGOs to international programmes. Not just theory, but data collection in the field and training of teams.

We teach impact measurement

We lecture and run workshops on Theory of Change and impact measurement for leading Slovak foundations and impact-focused organisations. We make complex things simple.

Independence and credibility

We have worked with the World Bank, UNDP, the Roma Education Fund, Open Society Foundations and the EEA & Norway Grants. Our findings stand up to demanding funders.

What we offer

Impact measurement services

Theory of Change

Together we clarify what change you want to achieve and how. A Theory of Change is the foundation of any meaningful impact measurement.

Measurement system design

We design tailored indicators, tools and data-collection and management processes – ones your team can realistically use in everyday practice.

Counterfactual evaluations

Experimental and quasi-experimental methods (RCTs, control groups) when you need to credibly prove the real causal effect of your intervention.

Programme impact evaluation

Comprehensive impact evaluation of programmes and projects using mixed methods – quantitative data combined with in-depth qualitative understanding of context.

Capacity building

Training and workshops that strengthen your organisation's in-house capacity to measure and manage impact, long after our engagement ends.

Impact reporting

We help turn data into a compelling impact story for funders, boards and the public – including reports and visualisations.

Commissioning external evaluations

End-to-end support for organisations procuring external evaluations – from terms of reference (ToR) and evaluator selection through contracting to supervising, coordinating and quality-assuring the external evaluators' work.

How it works

Working together in five steps

1 · Initial consultation

We talk, with no obligation, about your programme, goals, capacity and budget, and assess together what is worth measuring for you.

2 · Theory of Change

We clarify the logic of your intervention – from activities through outputs and outcomes to impact – and the key questions you want answered.

3 · Tailored measurement design

We design indicators and methods proportionate to your capacity and budget. No unnecessary data – only what you really need.

4 · Data collection & analysis

We help with collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data – practically, and in a way your team can manage.

5 · Findings & recommendations

We deliver clear, usable findings and recommendations – for your learning and for credible reporting to funders.

Selected experience

Impact measurement we have delivered

Investing in Early Childhood

Principal investigator on one of the first counterfactual impact evaluations in Europe in early-childhood education for Roma children – with J-PAL and the World Bank (EU Progress, Roma Education Fund, Slovak Ministry of the Interior).

A Good Start

Design of a comprehensive evaluation of a Roma Education Fund intervention, including a counterfactual impact evaluation with surveys of both treatment and control groups – across 4 countries and 16 localities, with a team of 6 researchers.

Superar Slovakia

Building and running an organisation-wide M&E framework (qualitative and quantitative data) and training field staff in primary schools in data collection.

Superar external evaluation

Procuring, contracting and supervising the external evaluation of the three-country Superar programme (delivered by DEVEA) – selecting, contracting and coordinating the evaluators; stakeholders regard the result as highly valuable.

Generácia 3.0 (Pontis Foundation)

Design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation framework for a complex programme supporting change in the education system.

fjužn (Milan Šimečka Foundation)

Reconstruction of the Theory of Change and design of a monitoring and evaluation framework for a large annual festival focused on foreigners and migrants in Slovakia.

Teach for Slovakia & others

Comprehensive evaluation of the Teach for Slovakia programme, evaluations for the Active Citizens Fund, and Theory of Change work for Misia 1000, PUNKT and other organisations.

Lecturing and training: workshops on monitoring and evaluation for leading Slovak impact NGOs (Pontis Foundation Impact Accelerator), lectures on "Theory of Change, systems change and measurement" (Bystriny), Youth Impact workshops on evaluating the impact of youth projects, and performance-audit training for the Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic.

FAQ

Impact measurement in brief

What is the difference between monitoring and impact measurement?

Monitoring continuously tracks what you do (activities and outputs). Impact measurement finds out what change that produced in people's lives – and how much of it your programme, rather than other factors, is responsible for.

Do we need a control group or a counterfactual?

Not always. Counterfactual methods are the strongest evidence of causality, but they are more demanding. We help you choose a level of rigour proportionate to your questions, capacity and budget.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

We scale the work to your means – from a compact Theory of Change to a multi-year impact evaluation. We always start with a no-obligation consultation and a transparent scope proposal.

What if the results aren't positive?

Even "negative" findings are valuable – they show what to improve. We treat impact measurement as a tool for learning, not as an exam. A credible evaluation strengthens your credibility with funders.

Let's start measuring your impact

Get in touch and let's arrange a no-obligation initial consultation about measuring the impact of your organisation or programme.

info@evaluacia.sk

Learn more about our experience in the About section.