Simply put, indicators are metrics that allow you to track your program's progress towards achieving your impact goals.

Indicators can be quantitative (such as, total number of meals per day a participant eats) or qualitative (such as, did this participant attend X training?). Indicators can come from existing catalogues of indicators for specific industries, such as IRIS for impact investing, or the UN SDGs for poverty alleviation. Indicators can also be customized to your own program allowing you to track specific progress towards your program goals (such as, training attendance).

Indicators are vital to tracking the success, or not, of your program. They give you important data to communicate to your funders, board of directors, and the greater public. Indicators are the backbone to any mission-based program because they show you what is working and what isn't.

Impact Atlas was designed not only as a data collection tool, but also as a way to evaluate and report your impact. As such, all the data collected on the platform can be channeled towards your indicators allowing you to see what impact has or has not been made. In order to assist you find or create the best indicators suited for your program, we have compiled a list of helpful articles and catalogues of indicators. These are by no means exhaustive or meant to be a one size fits all approach. Instead, they exist to help you find the best indicators for your program.

General Overview of Indicators, Their Purpose, and How to Create/Find the Best for Your Program

• SOCAP provides an in-depth, downloadable guide to impact metrics, what they are, and what they can mean for your organization.

• UnLtd UK offers an overview of indicators and setting program targets

• Show Me The Impact gives detailed information on choosing or creating indicators

• Better Evaluation offer comprehensive guides for ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing and impact reporting.

Guides for Indicator Creation/Catalogues of Indicators by Sector

• Multi-Sector Indicator Catalogues (Environment, Health, Governance, Education, Agriculture among others)

  • B-Corp

  • UN SDGs

  • SOCAP

• Impact Investing

  • IRIS

  • UNPRI (UN Principles for Responsible Investing)

  • BetterEvaluation

• Environment

  • OECD

• Governance

  • OECD

  • Worldwide Governance Indicators (World Bank)

• Public Health

  • WHO

  • Public Health England

  • PAHO/OPS

• Poverty Alleviation

  • Robinhood

Here are other articles that offer more resources on impact measurement fundamentals:

• What are the Differences between Inputs, Outputs, Outcomes & Impact

• How to Create a Theory of Change