Measuring impact and program evaluation
See the real difference your work is making
Beyond outputs and numbers, what lasting change are you creating?
Create and Evaluate helps organisations measure the real impact of their work – the outcomes that matter for people, communities and the environment.
Through impact measurement and program evaluation, we help you understand what’s working, what could be improved, and how to demonstrate your value to funders, stakeholders and the people you support.
We make impact measurement practical, relevant and achievable. Whether you’re a not-for-profit, government agency or social enterprise, we’ll help you build evidence and confidence in your results.
Our services include:
- Developing theories of change and program logic models – essential to define your impact.
- Designing fit-for-purpose evaluation frameworks and social impact measurement.
- Gathering and analysing feedback from clients and communities.
- Calculating social value and social return on investment or SROI.
- Embedding easy ways to measure outcomes in everyday work.
- Translating results into compelling stories and reports for funders and boards.
- We also deliver 1 on 1 mentoring and group workshops to upskill teams in evaluation theory, tools and techniques, tailored to your field and experience level.
Accredited with Social Value International, the global peak body for social impact measurement.
Client testimonials
“Renée has been a pleasure to work with on program evaluation. Working through a not-for-profit, I particularly appreciated her ability to scale her involvement with our evaluation processes to match our budget constraints. She has made the evaluation process clear and easy to follow for staff and for stakeholders. Thanks Renee!”
Jayne Thorpe, Business Innovation & Development Coordinator at CatholicCare Social Services
“Renée helped us develop practical tools to measure the impact of our work, and provided us with a strong foundation to think critically about our programs, impact and intended outcomes. Renée also ran evaluation workshops for our team that provided a democratic and collaborative space for staff to build ownership of the evaluation framework.”
Michael Gilliver, Assistant Director – Teaching & Learning, Independent Schools Queensland
“Renée worked with Cape York NRM Directors and staff to develop a multi-level evaluation and improvement strategy based on an existing organisation-wide program logic. Renée was flexible in her approach and timing, prepared meticulously and communicated well with myself and key team members. She accommodated the needs of a diverse Board and multi-disciplined staff team and ensured that workshops were engaging for participants. I highly recommend Renée to anyone looking to engage her services.”
Bob Frazer, Acting CEO, Cape York NRM
“Thank you Renée Madsen and Josephine Wise for leading tonight’s master class for the Leading Evaluation Unit in the QUT Master of Education course. You modelled reflexive, ethical and inspiring leadership. You also showed how evaluation can be a process of individual and collective learning. The students and I are grateful.”
Jill Willis, Associate Professor, School of Teacher Education and Leadership, Queensland University of Technology
We've helped organisations measure their success and teach others about evaluation
Experience
Create and Evaluate has delivered program evaluations, social impact measurement and evaluation training across Queensland for social enterprises, community organisations, not-for-profits and universities.
Our approach combines credible methodology with plain-English communication, helping clients feel confident using data to make better decisions and demonstrate their value.
Examples of our evaluation and social impact measurement projects:
Measuring social impact: from good news stories to evidence
Turning outcomes into clear social impact evidence for a First Nations youth program
An organisation-wide, staff-owned evaluation strategy
Building a practical evaluation strategy that’s owned by the staff who will deliver it
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers from our Principal Consultant Renée Madsen:
We know our work is delivering great outcomes, but we need solid evidence to demonstrate this. Can you help?
Yes. I’ll work with you to clearly define the outcomes or changes your work is creating. Then we’ll design a practical plan to gather the right evidence to show that the changes are happening. Where possible, we’ll build on what you already have, and I’ll help you collect, analyse and strengthen your data without unnecessary complexity. The result is a clear, concise report that you can use to demonstrate your value to funders, publicise your impact, and celebrate your achievements internally.
How do we measure intangible outcomes like increased confidence or community well-being?
These types of outcomes are known as ‘social value’, and they can be measured in a structured, credible way. I use an established methodology that draws on approaches like financial accounting, cost benefit analysis and sustainability reporting. This allows you to capture outcomes like confidence or wellbeing in a consistent, evidence-based way. I’m trained and accredited by Social Value International, the global body who developed the methodology, so you can be confident your approach meets recognised standards.
What is SROI (Social Return on Investment)? Can it put a dollar value on our work?
- Demonstrate your impact to funders, boards or stakeholders.
- Make better strategic decisions based on evidence.
- Clearly articulate the value of your work beyond financial returns.
Do we need to have data collection systems already in place?
No, you don’t need to have everything set up in advance. If you’re looking to measure your impact going forward, we’ll help you design a practical, appropriate data collection approach as part of your overall impact measurement strategy.
If you want to measure the impact of your work so far, you’ll need to have some existing data, or be open to collecting additional information. I can guide you on what’s needed and what’s realistic for your situation – please book a call with me.
Can you work with our existing data, or do we need to start fresh?
Absolutely, I can work with your existing data. A key part of my approach is using your existing systems and processes wherever possible, so it feels manageable and sustainable. Depending on what you want to measure, I may recommend improvements to help you capture the right data, always tailored to your organisation’s capacity and priorities.
Have more questions? Visit our full FAQ page or contact Renée.
Explore our guides on turning data into impact:
Showcase the value of your work
Turn data into insight, and insight into action.