Articles
Stay ahead with the latest thinking in social investment, impact measurement, and data-driven decision-making. Our articles share insights, trends, and best practices to help you make informed choices that drive meaningful change.
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2026 Place-Based Impact Summit: Key Insights
The Place-based Impact Summit brought Australia’s place-based ecosystem together to explore a shared challenge: how to define and use data to measure impact in ways that make sense across different communities.
Featured in Community Directors
ImpactLab CEO Maria Owen speaks with Community Directors about making impact measurement useful, connecting frontline data with academic and government evidence, and helping organisations turn better information into better decisions.
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Practical tips for using your GoodMeasure report to secure funding
Many organisations measure their impact but struggle to talk about data findings with confidence. Here's what actually works, with practical tips from funders, fundraising experts, and charities who've done it.
Part 2- Understanding the Intervention Logic
Part 2 of this series, unpacks the Intervention Logic, outlining how it differs from a Theory of Change and the role it plays in mapping programs, evaluating outcomes, and supporting clear communication with stakeholders.
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Part 1- Understanding the Theory of Change
In the first article in this two-part series we introduce the Theory of Change, a flexible framework that maps how services create impact. It explains its purpose, benefits, and why it’s a powerful tool for guiding, testing, and communicating change.
Trust is the social sector’s most valuable currency
Trust is a vital social currency in the sector. By combining engagement data with lived experiences, organisations can gain deeper insight into relationships and better understand, measure, and strengthen trust with the communities they serve.
Reaching the 15% with the Highest Needs
Reaching the 15% with the Highest Needs – 15% of Kiwis account for half of all social service use, yet mainstream support often falls short. By redesigning services around real needs, we can drive better outcomes for those most at risk.
The IDI turns 10: Why the world’s watching New Zealand
NZ’s world-leading data system is transforming social investment, helping policymakers and organisations make smarter, evidence-based decisions.
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Improving impact starts with using your data
The ‘use to improve’ principle is simple. It says: the best way to improve your data is to use the data you already have. Read on to find out more!
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Choosing the right social investment approach
This case study explores three distinct social investment approaches – Broad, Balanced, and Deep Impact – each delivering social value at varying scales and costs.
Social investment in action
ImpactLab highlights how tailored housing reduced hospital stays by 92% for people with serious mental health conditions. This model saved $4.9 million in hospital costs and delivered an estimated $4.50 social return per dollar invested.
0800 What’s Up phone and online chat service
Barnardos’ 0800 What’s Up phone and online chat service for children and young people has been shown by a new GoodMeasure report from ImpactLab to provide $2 of social value for every dollar spent on it, an excellent outcome for this unique service.
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