For NGOs, effectively communicating their impact is crucial for building trust, attracting supporters, and driving social change. But which information is relevant to which target groups, and how should it be presented? In this article, we explore the different target groups, purposes, scope, and types of impact communication — essential considerations for effectively communicating impact.
Communicating Impact: For What Purpose?
Depending on the purpose for which the impact analysis was conducted, the focus of impact communication will vary. The fundamental question here is: Why did we collect this data, and what is the purpose of communicating it?
In general, four purposes can be distinguished:
- Legitimization: Demonstrating the effectiveness and efficiency of your work to supporters and the public.
- Control and Management: Internally evaluating your actions to optimize processes and make strategic decisions.
- Positioning: Strengthening your profile and differentiating yourself from other organizations by highlighting unique impacts.
- Knowledge Gain: Learning from your experiences to make future projects more effective.
Target Groups for Impact Communication
Communication should always be tailored to the specific needs and expectations of the respective target groups. The purpose of the communication automatically suggests different possible target audiences. For example, communication aimed at gaining insights is primarily intended for internal groups such as project teams or boards, while communication for the purpose of legitimizing your work is most relevant to donors.
These are the key target groups for your impact communication:
- Donors and Funders
They want to understand how their contributions are used and what concrete changes are achieved. Transparency and tangible results are essential here. Especially in fundraising, impact communication is vital, as demonstrable impact motivates people to donate. - Beneficiaries and Project Target Groups
It’s important for them to know how the measures directly affect and improve their lives. Personal stories and concrete examples create closeness and understanding. Impact communication can be used to convince the beneficiary community of your offerings. - Staff and Volunteers
Clearly presenting the achieved impacts can boost motivation and engagement by underscoring the significance and value of their work. Improving measures or reporting to internal stakeholders can also be the focus here. - Public and Media
The goal here is to raise public awareness and mobilize support for the NGO’s cause. Broad and comprehensible communication is crucial. Impact communication helps in this area by clearly positioning the organization, building a brand and image, and increasing visibility.
Communicating Impact: Scope
Once we know the purpose and the target audience for communicating impact, we can consider the scope of the communication. These two aspects influence the level of detail we should use.
- Individual Impacts: Detailed presentation of a specific project or measure. What impact did this activity have?
- Aggregated Impacts by Stakeholder: Summary of results for specific target groups or partners. What impacts are relevant to a particular target group?
- Overall Impact: Overview of the organization’s comprehensive effects on a societal level. What impact do we have on a macro level?
Types of Impact Communication
The choice of communication style and media should always be tailored to the target audience and purpose. For example, visually presented quantitative data may be suitable for reporting to the board, while a qualitative description — such as a beneficiary’s quote — might work better for a social media post. There are several ways to communicate impact effectively:
- Qualitative Descriptions: Narrative elements such as stories, portraits, or reports that make the impact vivid and emotionally relatable. Impact data like numbers and facts can be integrated into the story to make it even more convincing.
- Quantitative Data: Use of numbers, data, and statistics to present impact in a measurable and comparable way. Hard facts are particularly suitable for comparing different time periods or projects, but also serve as a basis for optimization.
- Visual Presentation: Use of infographics, images, and videos to present complex information in a clear and engaging manner. This type of communication works well for social media or blogs, as well as for annual and project reports.
- Monetization: Representing impact in financial terms to highlight the economic value of actions. Monetization can be relevant internally when quantifying the efficiency of a measure, or in fundraising to calculate concrete donation suggestions.
Communicating Impact: Good Preparation – Effective Communication
Impact communication is a powerful tool for reaching people and making change tangible. It helps to make your impact understandable and relatable. It is important to align the target audience, purpose, scope, and type of communication thoughtfully.
In Part 2 of the series, we will explore how to analyze your impact data and use storytelling to appeal to both the hearts and minds of your target groups.
