In the vibrant world of the Voluntary, Community, Faith & Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, dedication and passion are always abundant! However, to create lasting change, secure ongoing funding and improve their delivery, organisations must be led by evidence and be able to demonstrate their impact.
So how do these organisations effectively prove the value of their work to stakeholders, partners, and funders? This is where expert evaluation comes in.
BVSC Research specialises in leading and supporting high-quality research and evaluation tailored for and about the VCFSE sector. Our core mission is to empower organisations by helping them clearly evidence their impact.
What is Evaluation and What Does BVSC Offer?
Evaluation is a structured process designed to help organisations learn about their work and make informed decisions. It involves gathering data to understand: the way the work was designed, how the work was put into effect (implementation), and the results from a piece of work. Organisations can then use this knowledge to make judgements about how well an area of work is doing, learn about the difference they are making, and help inform overall decision-making.
The process itself is cyclical, involving planning the evaluation, collecting data, assessing and analysing the data, reviewing the findings, and making recommendations for the future.
BVSC Research provides comprehensive evaluation services committed to delivering timely, relevant, and useful insights to the sector and the wider system. We offer evaluation of specific services, projects, and entire organisations, ensuring you can demonstrate the difference you make.
Over the past couple of years, we have evaluated a diverse range of projects, from youth clubs like Dream Chaser Youth Club (DCYC) to community hubs such as Oasis Hub Hobmoor, food poverty projects like Cranbean, digital inclusion initiatives like DigiKick, and conservation work like the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s Bee Inspired project.
We offer tailor made evaluation services that work for your organisation, to make sure that the process is easy for everyone involved. Our team has previous experience of working within front line services in the voluntary sector, so are uniquely placed to understand the challenges, as well as what is important to celebrate.
“They were great to work with—very professional, approachable, and understanding. Susannah took the time to really listen to us and the community we support. Communication throughout the process was clear and consistent, which we appreciated.” – Dream Chaser Youth Club
Showing Your Impact: What Evaluation Reports Do for Your Organisation
BVSC’s evaluation reports transform anecdotal success into concrete, defensible evidence, allowing organisations to strategically demonstrate their value and secure future support. Evaluation offers many benefits for the VCFSE sector.
1. Evidencing Outcomes and Achievements
“What can I say? This is absolutely fabulous! You have both done a fantastic job in collating and producing a report that clearly demonstrates the positive impact of the project and future learnings. THANK YOU!” - Evolve and Flourish
Evaluation reports help determine whether a project has met its specific aims and objectives, particularly those agreed upon with major funders, such as the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF).
• Verifying Success: Reports confirm when specific project outcomes are met. For instance, we found that Dream Chasers Youth Club successfully met their NLCF goals regarding improving youth physical/mental well-being and preventing involvement in crime.
• Quantifying Reach: Evaluation involves analysing data on participants, demographics, and activities to provide a clear overview of who is being served and how broadly the impact extends. For example, we looked at demographics of the 1,200 people using Oasis Hub Hobmoor weekly, to help them to understand who is accessing their services, and who they still want to reach.
• Funder Readiness: Evaluation is vital for reporting to funders and attracting further funding. Funders, commissioners, or investors increasingly ask about the difference organisations have made—not just what they’ve delivered. The collection of evidence of outcomes and impact by an independent evaluator can help build a strong case to attract further funding.
“The report has had significant impact both internally and externally helping others understand the work we have done and the things we have achieved. It was used as part of a successful application to the National Lottery for continuation funding for a further 3 years. It has been used as a practical example of community development. It has also been used as a model for impact reporting within our organisation.” – Oasis Hub Hobmoor
2. Capturing the “Softer” Side of Change
Crucially, BVSC Research evaluations move beyond simple outcomes. While tangible results are measured, our reports also prioritise highlighting the qualitative, relational, and deeply human impact that drives community transformation.
• Highlighting Relationships and Trust: Success is often measured not only by outcomes but also by the strength of relationships built, trust gained, and the project’s commitment to community-driven solutions. For example, the trust built by DCYC through open and genuine interactions was evident and highlighted within the report.
• Measuring Intangible Benefits: Reports capture essential “softer outcomes” that are often hard to measure but are highly valued, such as increased confidence, reduced isolation, and improved mental health for participants. Qualitative data collected for DigiKick, for instance, showed participants gaining confidence, helping them feel less “left behind”.
• Asset-Based Approach: Evaluations often focus on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasising the identification and harnessing of strengths within the community rather than just focusing on problems.
3. Driving Strategic Improvement and Sustainability
The evaluation process provides constructive insights, ensuring an organisation is resilient and ready for the future.
• Focusing Strategy: Evaluation can help focus an organisation’s strategy and to plan how to use resources (staff, budgets, and volunteers) efficiently.
• Making Work More Effective: Through evaluation, organisations can identify where their work is most effective and where they might need to change or develop. This helps improve services and programmes to make a bigger difference for the people and communities they work with.
• Identifying Strengths and Challenges: Our reports meticulously detail the project’s strengths (e.g., strong community ties, proactive staff, effective feedback mechanisms) and openly discuss challenges (e.g., funding, capacity, infrastructure gaps). This holistic view guides future planning.
• Providing Actionable Recommendations: Based on detailed findings, our reports offer specific recommendations for maximising opportunities, addressing weaknesses, and ensuring long-term sustainability. These suggestions cover critical areas like diversifying funding streams, staff support (e.g., avoiding burnout and succession planning), and enhancing client engagement.
• Informing Practice Evolution: The process reveals crucial lessons learned. For example, the Cranbean project’s evaluation showed the importance of understanding the makeup of culturally relevant meals. This iterative feedback loop ensures services remain current and relevant to community needs.
4. Improving Communication and Motivation
Evaluation findings have several benefits related to internal morale and external engagement.
• Improving Communications: Evaluation findings can help communicate with an organisation’s key audiences. Findings can be shared to engage current or potential donors, or to increase public understanding of what the organisation achieves. This data might also be used for lobbying or campaigning.
• Motivating Staff and Volunteers: Seeing evidence of what their work has achieved can boost staff and volunteer morale, generating a sense of shared purpose.
• Learning and Sharing: Through evaluation, organisations can learn more about what works and share this externally. This helps to improve practice across the sector.
By providing this rigorous, evidence-based, and person-centred perspective, BVSC Research ensures that VCFSE organisations can confidently communicate their powerful impact and build resilient futures. BVSC’s mission is to support and advocate for a strong and influential VCFSE sector, so it’s important to us that we provide competitive rates for our evaluations, whether it’s a one-off piece of work, or if we’re working with you as your multi-year evaluation partner. If you’d like to see what we might be able to offer to you, please send an email to susannahw@bvsc.org and we will arrange a time for a chat.
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