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SOPACT ACADEMY · AI SKILLS

How Do You Build a Results Framework?

Describe your program and Sopact Sense maps the results framework — strategic objective to intermediate results to sub-IRs — grading each with its baseline indicator and flagging the results that don't ladder up.

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.ic{display:inline-flex;width:34px;height:34px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;background:#14295C;border:1px solid #26407A;border-radius:9px;color:#7FA8FF;font-size:16px;flex-shrink:0} .lp .rt{flex:1;min-width:0} .lp .rt .n{font-size:13px;font-weight:800;color:#F1F5FF} .lp .rt .s{font-size:11.5px;color:#9DB2D9} .lp .open{font-size:11px;font-weight:800;color:#0A1B3D;background:#7FA8FF;padding:6px 11px;border-radius:7px;white-space:nowrap} </style> </head> <body> <div class="card"> <div class="hdr"> <span class="ic">&#128200;</span> <div class="t"> <div class="n">Vista Workforce Collaborative · Results Framework</div> <div class="s">DEMO-01 · Sopact Sense · Framework Builder</div> </div> <span class="pill"><span class="d"></span>Building</span> </div> <div class="tabs" id="tabs"></div> <div class="divider"></div> <div class="body" id="body"></div> <div class="promptwrap"> <div class="promptlbl">The prompt behind this step</div> <div class="prompt"><span class="car">&gt;</span><span id="promptTxt"></span></div> </div> </div> <script> (function(){ var TABS = ["Setup", "Build", "Fix", "Report"]; var CONTENT = [{"eyebrow": "Step 1 · Describe the program", "headline": "The input is your description, nothing else", "lede": "Use only what the program states — anything inferred gets marked, never invented.", "prompt": "You are the Sopact Sense Assistant. Here is my program description: [PASTE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION]. Use only what it states; mark anything you infer as [INFERRED]. Wait for my task."}, {"eyebrow": "Step 2 · Map the results framework", "headline": "Strategic Objective down to Sub-IRs", "lede": "Every level is graded <strong style=\"color:#15884F\">green</strong>, <strong style=\"color:#C9820A\">amber</strong>, <strong style=\"color:#C63E2B\">red</strong> — results that don't ladder up and missing baselines get flagged.", "prompt": "Map a Results Framework for [PROGRAM]: one Strategic Objective, 3–5 Intermediate Results, and Sub-IRs, each with a baseline / target indicator. Flag any result that doesn't ladder up and any missing baseline. Use only what the program states; mark anything inferred [INFERRED]. Grade every element green / amber / red."}, {"eyebrow": "Step 3 · One-fix follow-up", "headline": "Ladder the orphan result", "lede": "The lowest-graded element gets one realistic fix — the single edit that moves it toward green.", "prompt": "Take the lowest-graded element above and fix it using only what the program could realistically measure. Show the before → after grade and the single indicator/edit that moves it to green."}, {"eyebrow": "Step 4 · Missing & incomplete report", "headline": "Every gap becomes one named ask", "lede": "Every amber or red item becomes one named ask — the report leads with the decision it informs.", "prompt": "Create a 'missing & incomplete' report from this analysis in Sopact branding [or paste your website URL / brand guideline to apply your own]. List every element graded amber or red, what is missing, and the one input that fixes each. Lead with the decision this report informs."}]; var BODIES = { setup: "<div class=\"row\"><span class=\"emoji\">&#128221;</span><div class=\"rt\"><div class=\"n\">Program description</div><div class=\"s\">Vista Workforce Collaborative — 12-week coding bootcamp, ~60 adults/cohort</div></div><span class=\"pillsm\">Pasted</span></div><div class=\"row\"><span class=\"emoji\">&#127919;</span><div class=\"rt\"><div class=\"n\">Results Framework structure</div><div class=\"s\">Strategic Objective → 3–5 Intermediate Results → Sub-IRs</div></div><span class=\"pillsm gray\">Structure</span></div><div class=\"row\"><span class=\"emoji\">&#128274;</span><div class=\"rt\"><div class=\"n\">No hallucination rule</div><div class=\"s\">Only what the program states; infer = flagged [INFERRED]</div></div><span class=\"pillsm gray\">Required</span></div>", build: "<div class=\"mxwrap\"><div class=\"mxhead\"><div></div><div>Indicator</div><div>Sub-IR</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR1 · Job-ready skills</div><div>Completion rate set — but &#x27;mentoring builds confidence&#x27; is unmeasured<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#C9820A;color:#fff\">AMBER</span></div><div>Curriculum matches employer demand</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR2 · Secure employment</div><div>6-month placement = 71%, verified (baseline set)<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#15884F;color:#fff\">GREEN</span></div><div>Employer partnerships active</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR3 · Sustained employment</div><div>Wage growth — no baseline / target<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#C63E2B;color:#fff\">RED</span></div><div>Ongoing alumni support — doesn&#x27;t ladder up</div></div></div>", fix: "<div class=\"mxwrap\"><div class=\"mxhead\"><div></div><div>Indicator</div><div>Sub-IR</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR1 · Job-ready skills</div><div>Completion rate set — but &#x27;mentoring builds confidence&#x27; is unmeasured<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#C9820A;color:#fff\">AMBER</span></div><div>Curriculum matches employer demand</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR2 · Secure employment</div><div>6-month placement = 71%, verified (baseline set)<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#15884F;color:#fff\">GREEN</span></div><div>Employer partnerships active</div></div><div class=\"mxrow\"><div class=\"mxlabel\">IR3 · Sustained employment</div><div>Wage growth — no baseline / target<span class=\"mxchip\" style=\"background:#15884F;color:#fff\">GREEN</span></div><div>Link it to IR3 (sustained employment) and set a baseline / target</div></div></div><div class=\"cnote\" style=\"color:#15884F;margin-left:0\"><span class=\"plus\">+</span><strong>Fix applied:</strong> Link it to IR3 (sustained employment) and set a baseline / target</div>", reportFlags: "<div class=\"flagrow\" style=\"border-left-color:#C9820A\"><span class=\"flagtag\" style=\"color:#C9820A;background:#FBF0DA\">AMBER</span><div class=\"flagtxt\">IR1 — completion rate is set, but the mentoring-builds-confidence claim is unmeasured.</div></div><div class=\"flagrow\" style=\"border-left-color:#C63E2B\"><span class=\"flagtag\" style=\"color:#C63E2B;background:#FCE9E7\">RED</span><div class=\"flagtxt\">IR3 — wage growth has no baseline or target, and its sub-IR (ongoing alumni support) doesn&#x27;t ladder up to any IR.</div></div>", lpTitle: "Missing & incomplete report · shareable link", lpSub: "Decision-first · Sopact branding · Vista Workforce Collaborative · Results Framework", summaryBefore: "Grade: 1 green &middot; 1 amber &middot; 1 red. One orphan, one missing baseline.", summaryAfter: "Grade: 2 green &middot; 1 amber &middot; 0 red. One link closed the orphan." }; var phase = 1; var tabsEl = document.getElementById('tabs'); var bodyEl = document.getElementById('body'); var promptEl = document.getElementById('promptTxt'); function renderTabs(){ tabsEl.innerHTML = ''; TABS.forEach(function(label, i){ var b = document.createElement('button'); b.type = 'button'; b.className = 'tab' + (i === phase ? ' on' : ''); b.innerHTML = '<span class="num">' + (i+1) + '</span><span>' + label + '</span>'; b.addEventListener('click', function(){ phase = i; render(); }); tabsEl.appendChild(b); }); } function renderBody(){ var c = CONTENT[phase]; var eyebrowClass = (phase===2) ? 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In short: One prompt now builds a funder-ready results framework from nothing but what a program publicly states. It names the decision the reader must make, arranges the program as a hierarchy — one Strategic Objective, a handful of Intermediate Results, Sub-IRs beneath them — grades every result by evidence, flags the results that don't ladder up and the indicators with no baseline, and ends with a prioritized plan. Below, we run it on a real public page and walk through what each part of the prompt produces.

What is a results framework, and who asks for one?

A results framework is the hierarchy USAID and similar funders ask for: it shows how a program's lower-level results add up to its top aim — one Strategic Objective, several Intermediate Results that must each occur to reach it, and Sub-IRs beneath those, every level carrying a baseline-and-target indicator. Most results frameworks fail two ways: a result that doesn't ladder up to anything above it, or an indicator with a target but no baseline to judge it against.

The prompt below turns that logic into a complete audit. It reads only what your program states publicly, grades every result Green, Amber, or Red, flags the orphans and the missing baselines, and tells you the one result to fix this quarter. We ran it on The Lantern Network's public mentoring-program page — the sections that follow show the prompt for each part, then what came back.

1 · Name the decision, then run one prompt

Every grade depends on who is reading. A board sees "87% placed" as a headline; a renewing funder asks what evidence sits behind each result, and whether every result actually rolls up to the objective. So the prompt's first instruction is a decision frame: before building anything, state in one line who would use this results framework and for what decision. For Lantern, that came back as a corporate sponsor deciding whether to renew its grant. Every judgment below is made from that reader's chair.

Here is the full prompt. Paste it whole, swap in your program name and source, and Sense produces all four parts in one pass:

Build a Results Framework for [PROGRAM NAME] using only what the program publicly states at [SOURCE — URL or pasted program description]. Before building, state in one line who would use this framework and for what decision — then make every judgment from that reader's perspective. PART 1 — Map the hierarchy: one Strategic Objective, 3–5 Intermediate Results that must each occur to reach it, and the Sub-IRs beneath them. Give every level a baseline-and-target indicator. Flag any result that doesn't ladder up to the level above, and any indicator with no baseline. Color every element: GREEN = specific AND evidenced, with a baseline; AMBER = stated but vague, or a target with no baseline; RED = missing, doesn't ladder up, or exists only as [INFERRED]. Tag anything not explicitly stated as [INFERRED]. Include a legend, program name, source URL, and date. PART 2 — One row per result: Result | Level (SO / IR / Sub-IR) | Grade | Baseline & Target (or "none") | one measurable indicator that would test it, phrased so the program could actually collect it (who is measured, what changes, by when). PART 3 — List every orphan result and every AMBER and RED element, ranked by how much the framework depends on it. For each: why it is weak in one sentence, what claim collapses if it fails, and whether the fix is a program-design problem or a measurement gap. PART 4 — The top 3–5 fixes, in priority order for the decision named above. For each: current language (or "missing") → proposed rewrite, plus the single data collection step that would move it toward green. CLOSING SUMMARY — 3–4 sentences: overall strength of the results logic, the weakest link a skeptical funder would attack first, and the one action to take this quarter. RULES — Source fidelity is absolute: never invent program content; if the source does not say it, mark it RED or [INFERRED]. Every green grade must be traceable to specific source language.

Example source: https://www.lanternnetwork.org/mentoring-program. The rules do the heavy lifting — no invented content, every green traceable to a quote and a baseline. The hierarchy is the claim; the table in Part 2 is its evidence trail.

2 · Part 1 — the results hierarchy

Map the hierarchy: one Strategic Objective, 3–5 Intermediate Results, and Sub-IRs beneath them, each with a baseline-and-target indicator. Flag any result that doesn't ladder up and any indicator with no baseline. Color every element green, amber, or red. Tag anything not explicitly stated as [INFERRED]. Include a legend, program name, source URL, and date.

Two disciplines make this different from a wish-list of outcomes. First, every result must ladder up: each Sub-IR rolls into an IR, each IR into the objective — anything that doesn't connect is flagged as an orphan. Second, no result is judged without a baseline: a target with nothing to measure against earns an amber at best. For Lantern, the pattern was immediate — the employment IR is concrete and baselined (288 mentees, 251 internships, 87% placed) while the sustained-outcome results past placement rest on three testimonials with no baseline at all.

The rubric is strict on purpose. Green means specific, evidenced, and baselined ("87% secured internships, jobs, or promotions"). Amber means stated but vague, or a target with no baseline. Red means missing, doesn't ladder up, or exists only as [INFERRED].

GRADE: green | employment IR | 87% placed, 251 internships — baselined, ladders up; amber | confidence sub-IR | claimed in three stories, no baseline; red | sustained-outcome IR | no baseline, and an orphan sub-IR that doesn't ladder up

3 · Part 2 — the indicator & baseline table

For every result, produce one row: Result | Level (SO / IR / Sub-IR) | Grade | Baseline & Target (or "none") | one measurable indicator that would test it, phrased so the program could actually collect it — who is measured, what changes, by when.

This table is the evidence trail behind the hierarchy — one row per result, so nothing in the ladder floats free of a baseline. The indicator column is the practical payoff: each is phrased so the program could actually collect it. For Lantern's weakest result — the sustained-outcome IR — the baseline column reads "none: no follow-up past first placement," and the indicator that would fix it is "share of placed mentees still employed at 12 and 24 months, same mentees tracked by ID." That's not a critique; it's a work order.

4 · Part 3 — the weak-link diagnosis

List every orphan result and every amber and red element, ranked by how much the framework depends on it. For each: (a) why it is weak in one sentence, (b) what claim collapses if it fails, (c) whether the fix is a program-design problem or a measurement gap — these require different responses.

The ranking is by dependence, not level — the question is which weakness takes the most down with it. Lantern's number one wasn't its red impact claims; it was the missing baseline under the sustained-outcome IR: with no follow-up past placement, the whole top of the ladder rests on the 87% number alone. An orphan sub-IR — ongoing alumni support that connects to no IR — came second.

The design-versus-measurement tag matters just as much. A measurement gap means the result plausibly holds but has never been baselined — the fix is data collection. A design problem means a result genuinely connects to nothing — the fix is re-linking or removing it. Lantern's diagnosis came back mostly measurement gaps, plus one orphan to re-link.

5 · Part 4 — the improvement plan

Give the top 3–5 fixes, in priority order for the decision named above. For each: show the current language (or "missing") → a proposed rewrite, plus the single data collection step that would move it toward green.

Each fix is a before-and-after pair. Lantern's first: the sustained-outcome IR, currently a target with "no baseline," gets a stated baseline and target — "X% of placed mentees still employed at 12 months" — fed by a single data step: a short follow-up survey against a persistent participant ID. Fixes two through five follow the same shape: re-link the orphan alumni sub-IR to the employment IR, baseline the confidence sub-IR, and publish the denominator behind the 87%.

6 · The closing summary — one action this quarter

Close with 3–4 sentences: the overall strength of the results logic, the weakest link a skeptical funder would attack first, and the one action to take this quarter.

The summary is the executive read. Lantern's verdict: the framework is strong at its employment IR and unproven above it — the objective and its sustained-outcome results carry targets with no baselines, and one sub-IR ladders up to nothing. The one action this quarter: baseline the sustained-employment result with a 12-month follow-up against a persistent participant ID, so next year's renewal case rests on tracked results rather than three stories.

Take the prompt with you. The full prompt pack — the master prompt plus each part as a standalone prompt you can run separately — is available to download: Download the Results Framework prompt pack.

Tricks, tips, and troubleshooting

Every result must ladder up. The defining test of a results framework is that each sub-IR rolls into an IR, and each IR into the objective. Ask Sense to flag any result that doesn't connect — an orphan result is the most common reason a framework reads as incoherent.

No baseline, no IR. An intermediate result with a target but no baseline can't be judged. Ask Sense which results are missing a baseline and to suggest one the program could realistically collect.

Turn one result green per cycle. Fix the reddest result with the one indicator Sense suggests, collect it next cycle, and re-run the framework.

Tighten your program page while you're here. Once Sense has graded the framework, ask it to bring your public claims in line with your evidence:

Based on the grades above, suggest edits to my program page so its claims match the evidence. Flag every sentence that overstates what we can show, and rewrite it to be accurate and specific.

The same prompt works for a Theory of Change, Logic Model, or Logframe — swap the framework name and keep the parts, rubric, and rules unchanged.

Frequently asked questions

What is a results framework in M&E?

A results framework is a hierarchy used in monitoring and evaluation that shows how a program's lower-level results add up to its top-level aim: one Strategic Objective, several Intermediate Results that must each occur to achieve it, and Sub-IRs beneath those — every level carrying a baseline-and-target indicator. It's favored by USAID and similar funders for showing the logic of “what leads to what.”

What's the difference between a results framework and a logframe?

A results framework shows the hierarchy of results — how sub-results ladder up to intermediate results and to the strategic objective. A logframe is a 4×4 matrix that adds indicators, means of verification, and assumptions for each level. The results framework answers “what leads to what”; the logframe adds “how we'll measure and what must hold true.” Many funders ask for both.

How do you build a results framework with AI?

Describe your program and ask the AI to map one strategic objective, three to five intermediate results, and their sub-IRs, each with a baseline-and-target indicator, then flag any result that doesn't ladder up and any missing baseline. In Sopact Sense this takes minutes and stays grounded only in what your program states, grading each element so the unlinked results and gaps are obvious.

Put this guide into practice.

Start with a decision your team needs to make. Decide what information belongs together, how you will check it, and who is responsible for acting.

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1
Keep evidence from surveys, files, notes, documents, systems, sites, and reporting periods connected to one continuing record.
Multi-program nonprofits · Member and chapter networks · Research associations · Training and coaching teams · Organizations with scattered evidence
Build an impact report from evidence you can explain
What Is Impact Measurement and Reporting?
embedded-impact-measurement
Reporting
Align
1
Define intended change, align organization and funder context, govern measures, interpret evidence, and produce traceable reports for decisions.
Program and impact teams · MEL leads · Funders and donors · Foundations · Impact funds · Organizations building rigorous impact reports
Build a repeatable collect, review and improve cycle
Methodology — continuous, not annual
loop-methodology
Loop
The method
1
The continuous collect–analyze–improve cycle, adopted as an experiment: start with the step that already pays and add one data-collection step at a time.
Teams tired of rebuilding spreadsheets and forms who want a measurement system that compounds instead of resetting.
How to Build a Theory of Change with AI: Prompts and Examples
Build a Theory of Change You Can Test
how-to-build-a-theory-of-change
Reporting
Align
2
How Do You Onboard a Portfolio and Track Results?
Agree the Portfolio Reporting Plan
onboard-portfolio-lock-impact-agreement-track-results
Portfolio
Data Dictionary
2
Test whether an AI-assisted result is repeatable and correct
Reliability — the same answer twice
loop-reliability
Loop
The method
2
Determinism as a feature: the same question over the same data returns the same answer every run — the opposite of a generic AI chat that drifts.
Anyone who has watched a general AI tool give two different numbers for the same question and needs results they can stand behind.
Design application intake around a defensible decision
Design an Application Process
how-to-design-an-application-process
Grant
Foundation
2
How to Structure Stakeholder Data: Four Common Patterns
Choose your record structure
which-shape-is-your-data
Feedback
Foundation
2
Map the people, observations and relationships your workflow needs before collecting data.
How to Build a Logic Model: Steps, Example and AI Prompt
Build a Logic Model You Can Use
how-to-build-a-logic-model
Reporting
Align
3
How Do You Onboard a Grant or RFP Program?
Onboard a Grant or RFP Program
how-to-onboard-a-grant-rfp-program
Grant
Foundation
3
Turn your theory of change into a data-collection plan
Turn a Theory of Change into a Data-Collection Workflow
theory-of-change-to-data-collection-workflow
Case
Foundation
3
Build a portfolio data dictionary without forcing false comparisons
Map Portfolio Data to Reporting Standards
portfolio-data-dictionary-standards-mapping
Portfolio
Chapters
3
Keep a clear trail from a finding to its evidence
Traceability & Transparency
loop-traceability
Loop
The method
3
Every figure links back to the exact response, note, or document it came from — a full audit trail from headline result to raw evidence.
Teams whose numbers get scrutinized — by funders, boards, auditors, or standards — and who need to answer where did this come from on the spot.
How to Change Survey Questions Without Losing Comparability
Change questions with a clear history
change-questions-without-breaking-the-record
Feedback
Control
3
Create a question-change log and decide how old and new versions should appear in reports.
Programme & MEL leads · Teams whose questionnaire has ossified · Anyone evaluating a platform where configuration is a purchased service
Five Dimensions of Impact: How to Review Your Evidence
Use the Five Dimensions to Test the Evidence
five-dimensions-of-impact
Reporting
Align
4
How Do You Design a Grant Rubric and Eligibility Rules?
Design Your Rubric & Eligibility Rules
grant-rubric-eligibility-rules
Grant
Foundation
4
How to Measure Outcomes Across an Investment or Grant Portfolio
Frame Outcomes Over Outputs at Portfolio Level
frame-outcomes-portfolio-level
Portfolio
Chapters
4
Adapt the learning cycle to your workflow
Flexibility — one method, four workflows
loop-flexibility
Loop
The method
4
The same collect–analyze–improve cycle, shaped to four kinds of impact work — case, grant, portfolio, and feedback — each shown end to end.
Anyone deciding where the Loop fits their work, who wants to see the full path from messy input to a report they can defend.
How to Collect Feedback Offline and Keep Records Connected
Collect offline and reconcile the batch
collect-feedback-offline
Feedback
Connect
4
Build a field protocol and reconcile a test batch across devices, visits and delayed uploads.
Field & multi-site programs · Low-connectivity contexts · Nonprofits collecting in person
How Do You Design an Intake Form for a Baseline?
Design an Intake Form That Captures a Usable Baseline
intake-form-usable-baseline
Case
Nonprofit Track
5
Turn a proposed outcome into a reporting definition
Outcomes vs Outputs
frame-outcomes-over-outputs
Grant
Foundation
5
Impact Due Diligence: Review Evidence Before Investment
Pre-Investment Due Diligence & Screening
pre-investment-due-diligence-screening
Portfolio
Chapters
5
Plan and review your first workflow pilot
The Guarantee — first workflow in 2 months
loop-guarantee
Loop
The method
5
How to Build an Organization Evidence Model
Build the Organization Evidence Model
build-organization-evidence-model
Reporting
Align
5
How to Analyze Documents as Evidence: Sources, Context and Review
Read documents as traceable evidence
read-documents-as-evidence
Feedback
Connect
5
Create a document register and reviewed findings with source locations, context and explicit exceptions.
How to Clean Open-Ended Survey Responses Without Losing Meaning
Clean responses and define the denominator
clean-open-ended-survey-responses
Feedback
Clean
6
Create a cleaning log, response-status table and reproducible report statement.
How to Review Participant Support Needs Mid-Program
Spot At-Risk Participants Mid-Program
spot-at-risk-participants-mid-program
Case
Nonprofit Track
6
How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Application: Template and Example
Grant Application for Nonprofits
grant-application-for-nonprofit-organizations
Grant
Foundation
6
Design quarterly portfolio reporting that investees can complete
Collect Investee Reporting Without Repeated Rework
collect-investee-reporting-without-burden
Portfolio
Chapters
6
How to Build a Funder Context Profile: Research to Reporting
Build a Sourced Funder Context Profile
build-funder-context-profile
Reporting
Align
6
How Do You Measure Change at Exit?
Measure Change at Exit (Not Just Completion)
measure-change-at-exit
Case
Nonprofit Track
7
How Do You Collect Applications Clean at the Source?
Collect Applications Clean at the Source
collect-applications-clean-at-source
Grant
Collect
7
How to Follow Up on Missing Investee Data
How to Follow Up on Missing Investee Data
chase-missing-investee-data
Portfolio
Chapters
7
How to Analyze Multilingual Feedback and Evaluate Software
Analyze and review multilingual feedback
analyze-multilingual-feedback
Feedback
Clean
7
Build a language review sheet and test software on original responses, translations, codes and reporting bases.
Multi-country programs · Multilingual survey data · Global networks & chapters
How to Define Impact Metrics Your Team and Funder Can Use
Define Measures the Organization and Funder Can Both Use
define-impact-metrics-funders-want
Reporting
Align
7
Survey Attrition in Longitudinal Studies: Track Missing Waves
Track missing waves and matched outcomes
survey-attrition-longitudinal-studies
Feedback
Read
8
Build a wave-status register, compare response groups and report paired change with coverage and limitations.
How to Use Mentor Notes to Review Participant Support
Use mentor notes for support review
mentor-notes-early-warning
Case
Nonprofit Track
8
How Do You Reduce Applicant Burden?
Reduce Applicant Burden
reduce-applicant-burden-auto-clarification
Grant
Collect
8
Find inconsistencies in portfolio returns before reporting
Analyze Investee Reports Across Sources
read-investee-reports-multi-signal
Portfolio
Chapters
8
Impact Metric Definitions: A Practical Worksheet and Example
Give Every Number One Definition
one-definition-for-every-number
Reporting
Define
8
How to Connect Quantitative and Qualitative Survey Data
Connect scores and comments
connect-quantitative-qualitative-survey-data
Feedback
Read
9
Build a linked analysis view and joint display, with clear groups, reporting bases and evidence limits.
How to Calculate SROI as New Evidence Arrives
Calculate SROI — Live, Sourced, and Honest
calculate-sroi-live
Case
Nonprofit Track
9
How to Collect Grantee Reports with Less Burden
Collect Grantee Reports Without Burden
collect-grantee-reporting-without-burden
Grant
Collect
9
Keep company, investment and reporting history connected
Track Results Against the Impact Agreement
track-investees-impact-agreement-variance
Portfolio
Chapters
9
Turn Reporting Requirements into Evidence: A Practical Mapping Guide
Turn Requirements Into Collectable Evidence
turn-reporting-requirements-into-evidence
Reporting
Define
9
Connect baseline, follow-up and different rater perspectives
Analyze pre, mid and post surveys
analyze-pre-mid-post-survey-data
Feedback
Read
10
Build a matched pre/mid/post analysis, interpret score movement and retain clear rules for missing waves.
How to Report a Job-Training Program to Grant Funders
Turn a Cohort into a Funder Impact Report
job-training-grant-impact-report
Case
Nonprofit Track
10
How to Follow Up on Missing Grantee Data
Chase Missing Grantee Data
chase-missing-grantee-data
Grant
Collect
10
How to Build Useful Portfolio Impact Monitoring Alerts
Build Useful Portfolio Impact Alerts
portfolio-risk-monitoring-alerts
Portfolio
Chapters
10
How to Collect Clean Data Inside Your Workflow
Collect Clean Evidence Inside the Workflow
collect-clean-data-at-the-source
Reporting
Embed
10
How to Analyze Longitudinal Survey Data
Analyze longitudinal survey data
analyze-longitudinal-survey-data
Feedback
Read
11
Build a continuing analysis record with clear time scales, observed trajectories and limits.
How to Turn a Job Description into a Requirements Checklist
Clarify employer requirements
job-description-requirements-checklist
Case
Social Enterprise Track
11
Review applications with evidence, clear criteria and human judgment
Review Without Reviewer Bias
review-applications-without-reviewer-bias
Grant
Analyze
11
How to Ask AI Questions About Your Portfolio Data
Ask AI Questions About Portfolio Data
ask-your-portfolio-anything
Portfolio
Chapters
11
How to Keep Impact Reporting Numbers Consistent
Get Stable Results From Governed Data
same-numbers-every-time
Reporting
Read
11
How Do You Analyze a Batch of Grant Applications?
Analyze a Whole Round
how-to-analyze-a-batch-of-grant-applications
Grant
Analyze
12
How to Measure Outcome Duration and Drop-Off
Measure outcome duration and drop-off
measure-outcome-duration-drop-off
Feedback
Read
12
Build a dated outcome claim, distinguish missingness from outcome loss and test forecast assumptions.
How to Score Candidate–Role Matches with a Clear Rubric
Review candidate–role evidence
score-candidate-role-matches-without-bias
Case
Social Enterprise Track
12
Evidence Traceability: Link Every Report Claim to Its Source
Trace Every Result Back to Its Evidence
where-every-number-came-from
Reporting
Read
12
How Do You Roll Up a Grant Portfolio?
Aggregate Outcomes Across a Grant Portfolio
how-to-roll-up-a-grant-portfolio
Portfolio
Chapters
13
How to Report Job Placements to Impact Investors
Turn a Cohort into a Social-Enterprise Investor Report
job-placement-investor-impact-report
Case
Social Enterprise Track
13
How Do You Track Reviewer Conflicts of Interest?
Track Reviewer Conflicts of Interest
track-conflicts-of-interest-audit
Grant
Analyze
13
How to Write a Donor Report: Format, Evidence and Example
Design a Report for a Real Funding Decision
donor-report-funders-trust
Reporting
Decide
13
Build a report brief and claim-and-evidence table before drafting. Explain delivery, outcomes, spending, limitations and next actions.
Program managers, grant leads and reporting teams
AI Data Access Controls: What Your Assistant May See
Control what the assistant can access
what-the-assistant-may-see
Feedback
Prove
13
Define task-specific access, test synthetic records and verify report-sharing boundaries.
How to Write an Evidence-Based Impact Narrative
Write a cited impact narrative
impact-narrative-funder-report-cited
Feedback
Prove
14
Build and check a report paragraph using a claim-and-source table, appropriate quotations and clear limitations.
How Do You Read a Grantee Report?
Read a Grantee Report
read-grantee-report-multi-signal
Grant
Analyze
14
How to Use SROI Across a Portfolio Without Double Counting
Use SROI Across a Portfolio
monetize-impact-sroi-across-levels
Portfolio
Chapters
14
How to Write a Funder Report with AI—and Check It
Generate the Audience-Specific Report From Evidence
assistant-writes-the-funder-report
Reporting
Decide
14
Draft from approved sources, check the claims, and save an accountable report version. Bring the brief from the previous lesson.
Program managers, grant leads and reporting teams
How Do You Compute Grantee Variance?
Compute Grantee Variance
how-to-compute-grantee-variance
Grant
Analyze
15
When Is a Monetary Value on Social Impact Credible?
Add a Credible Dollar Value With SROI
credible-dollar-value-on-impact
Reporting
Optional method
15
Prepare a valuation brief. Decide what the evidence supports, what needs more work, and when an outcome account is enough.
Program, evaluation and investment teams considering social-value estimates
Keep a person’s history connected across programs and staff changes
Follow one person over time
one-person-followed-for-years
Feedback
Shapes
15
Build a participant record that preserves episodes, dates, versions and missingness across repeated collection.
How Do You Build an SROI Value Map?
Build an SROI Value Map
how-to-build-an-sroi-value-map
Reporting
Optional method
16
Build a first value map, keep missing evidence visible, and give each unresolved outcome a next action.
Evaluation, program and investment teams preparing an SROI analysis
How Do You Track Budget and Actual Spend?
Track Budget vs Actual Spend
how-to-track-budget-invoices-actual-spend
Grant
Analyze
16
Multi-Rater Feedback: Connect Perspectives and Protect Context
Connect several perspectives on one person
several-people-describing-one-person
Feedback
Shapes
16
Design subject-rater relationships, reporting rules and a tested multi-perspective feedback record.
How Do You Pick a Financial Proxy for SROI?
Pick a Defensible Financial Proxy
how-to-pick-a-financial-proxy-for-sroi
Reporting
Optional method
17
Compare candidate valuation sources and document why one fits your outcome, stakeholder and reporting period.
Evaluation and reporting teams selecting financial proxies
How Do You Analyze Grantee Reporting Longitudinally?
Analyze Grantee Reporting Over Time
analyze-grantee-reporting-longitudinal
Grant
Analyze
17
How Do You Compare Investees When Each One Defines Its Metrics Differently?
Compare & Benchmark Investees
compare-benchmark-investees
Portfolio
Chapters
17
Cross-Program Reporting: Combine Results Without Losing Meaning
Combine evidence across programs
many-programs-one-picture
Feedback
Shapes
17
Build a defensible cross-program result with comparable measures, correct denominators and documented exclusions.
How Do You Calculate the SROI Ratio?
Calculate the SROI Ratio With a Range
how-to-calculate-the-sroi-ratio
Reporting
Optional method
18
Build a reproducible SROI calculation, test its assumptions and explain the result in a reviewed report.
Evaluation and reporting teams reviewing an SROI calculation
How to Read Form 990 for a Grant Review
Read a 990 for Compliance
how-to-read-a-990-for-compliance
Grant
Analyze
18
How Do You Build Dashboards and Compliance Reports?
Build Dashboards and Reviewed Reports
dashboards-sroi-compliance-reports
Portfolio
Chapters
18
Plan evidence collection across your network
Run a member-network survey
member-network-survey
Feedback
Shapes
18
Design and test a member reporting cycle with continuing records, coverage checks and authorized results.
Ask Your Whole Grant Round Anything (Assistant + MCP)
Ask Your Whole Grant Round Anything
ask-your-grant-round-anything
Grant
Analyze
19
Produce portfolio reports that trace back to approved evidence
Produce the LP and Board Impact Report
portfolio-lp-board-impact-report
Portfolio
Chapters
19
How Do You Build a Grant Audit Trail?
Build a Grant Audit Trail
grant-audit-compliance-trail
Grant
Communicate
20
How Do You Connect Your Stack Without Lock-In?
Connect Systems and Test Data Portability
portfolio-connect-your-stack
Portfolio
Chapters
20
How Do You Produce Grant Compliance Reports?
Produce Compliance Reports
grant-compliance-regulatory-reports
Grant
Communicate
21
How Do You Roll Grantees Into a Board Report?
Roll Grantees Into a Board Report
roll-grantees-funder-board-report
Grant
Communicate
22
How Do You Build Grant Dashboards and Maps?
Grant Dashboards & Maps
grant-dashboards-geographic-mapping
Grant
Communicate
23