Outcomes: Simple Definition
Outcomes are the observable results of programs that are created and funded in hopes of making a difference in the world. The steps you follow to make change — your outputs — are important, but the results of the process — the outcomes — are what matter in the end. The point is to put a spotlight on what a program is actually accomplishing — what difference it’s making — rather than simply looking at the interventions themselves. But how do we actually measure those outcomes? And, in a complex world, how do we confidently draw connections between the inputs our programs have contributed and the outcomes we ultimately observe?
Takeaways are critical, bite-sized resources either excerpted from our guides or written by Candid Learning for Funders using the guide's research data or themes post-publication. Attribution is given if the takeaway is a quotation.
This takeaway was derived from Making Measures Work for You.
