Grantmaking
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" alt="Effective CSI programmes need evaluation" />
Effective CSI programmes need evaluation
3 April 2013
Since 2009, the development sector has made a notable shift in the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices of corporate social investment (CSI) programmes, says Tshikululu M&E specialist Mokibelo Ntshabeleng.Trialogue reported, in their 2012 CSI Handbook, that while the sector is still focusing less on evaluations, monitoring of programmes has improved from tracking only expenditure to additionally tracking outputs and outcomes indicators; and conducting site visits of funded projects.
While the attention on more and more accountability for the results of social investments increases, we are yet to see significant strides on the evaluation part of M&E.
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Impact is a process, not a destination
28 March 2013
At the Serious Social Investing 2013 workshop hosted by Tshikululu earlier this month, the impact of social investments was the overarching theme of the event, and was at the centre of discussions.
After all, while South African companies, trusts, and foundations have typically reported on their developmental inputs – how much they’ve given, and who they’ve given it to – they are increasingly being asked about the results of that giving: whether it has had a positive summative impact on beneficiaries and on the development of the country as a whole, and how much.
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" alt="Use data management to tell your development story" />
Use data management to tell your development story
28 February 2013
When monitoring and evaluating social investment programmes, whether undertaken by donors or their beneficiary partners, data management should not be viewed as an administrative burden that reduces development work to numbers alone. Rather, says Tshikululu M&E specialist Amira Elibiary, it is an essential tool and function that helps manage complex programmes, mapping historic and current performance, and allowing for reliable communication of results.By collecting, formatting, storing, analysing, and reporting quantitative data and qualitative information such as applications sent or received, interview transcripts, survey results, case studies, and beneficiary feedback, the guesswork is eliminated from decision-making and improved programme implementation can be achieved.
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" alt="Charity gives way to social investment" />
Charity gives way to social investment
25 February 2013
In the worlds of business and finance, when someone makes an investment, they do not simply give that money away; rather, they expect it to generate a financial return. Tshikululu Acting Manager of Advisory Services, Michael Rifer, points out that those making a social investment – both corporate and non-corporate foundations – may not be looking to make money, but they are beginning to expect a return for their outlay.In doing so, the lexicon of development is beginning to sound more and more like that of business. Suddenly ‘performance’ and ‘value’ apply as much to the work of NGOs as they do to stocks. And as funders begin to expect clear ‘development dividends’ from their giving in the form of greater social impact, their development partners in the NGO sector must either adapt or risk being labelled a bad investment.
