How to Make Your Impact Reporting Easier in 2026

At OKC, every day we see the extraordinary impact that not-for-profit organisations have in supporting their communities and driving meaningful change across Ireland. The commitment, creativity and care behind this work are never in question.

Yet when the time comes to evidence that impact, whether for funders, trustees or partners, many organisations find the process harder than it needs to be. Not because the impact isn’t there, but because the systems needed to capture it haven’t always been put in place from the start.

Too often, organisations are asked to demonstrate outcomes before they’ve had the chance to decide how those outcomes will be tracked. Impact reporting then becomes a last-minute exercise - stressful, time-consuming and sometimes incomplete (and inaccurate). And when your impact isn’t clear, the funder relationships that enable that impact become that much harder to steward.

As we look ahead to 2026, now is a valuable moment to step back and consider how impact is measured, tracked and communicated throughout the year, not just when a report is due. By thinking about impact measurement as an ongoing practice rather than a last-minute task, charities can make best use of both statistics and stories in ways that demonstrate change, while saving time, reducing stress and strengthening future funding applications. It’s a win/win!

Start with the end in mind

Whether you’re planning a new funding application or delivering existing work, it’s worth asking early: What will we need to evidence when we’re asked to report on this?

Strong impact reporting is far easier when outcome measures are considered at the outset rather than retrofitted at the end. Thinking ahead helps ensure that what you promise funders aligns with what you can realistically track and demonstrate in practice.

Clear, tangible KPIs matter

For some sectors, particularly arts and culture, impact measurement can feel challenging. Outcomes are often nuanced, personal and long-term. However, funders are usually looking for clarity rather than complexity. At its core, impact reporting often comes down to three questions:

• Who was reached?

• What changed?

• How do we know?

A small number of clear, tangible KPIs such as participation, engagement, repeat attendance or structured qualitative feedback often provides a stronger foundation than broad or vague indicators. 

Impact reporting doesn’t need to be resource-heavy

Robust impact reporting doesn’t require extensive evaluation frameworks or additional staff capacity. Any organisation can capture meaningful impact by building light-touch monitoring into delivery. Regular, short updates (monthly or quarterly) to your funders and partners are often sufficient and far more manageable than trying to reconstruct a year’s worth of activity at reporting time.

Depth and breadth (numbers and stories)

The most effective impact reports combine:

• Breadth - the quantitative data (the numbers!) that shows reach and scale

• Depth - the qualitative human stories that give a face to the difference your organisation has made.

Together, these elements help funders understand what you did, but more importantly, why what you did mattered. Just numbers or just stories don’t pack the same punch - we need to see both in tandem to really understand the context your impact exists within.

Five simple ways to capture impact monthly

To keep impact reporting manageable, consider building in a few simple habits at the end of every month:

1. Track one or two core metrics consistently
   Focus on what matters most and measure it well.

2. Collect short participant feedback regularly
   A small number of questions, asked often, is more useful than a long annual survey.

3. Keep a shared impact notes document
   Capture quotes, observations, learning and unexpected outcomes as they happen.

4. Review impact monthly
   Regular check-ins help identify gaps early and allow for course correction.

5. Align tracking to funder requirements from the start
   Using funder language and outcomes in your monitoring saves time when reporting is required.

Looking ahead

Preparing for impact reporting doesn’t need to be onerous. Small, intentional steps taken early can significantly reduce pressure later, while strengthening reporting quality and future funding applications.

At OKC, our experience working alongside not-for-profit organisations shows that impact approaches work best when they are proportionate, funder-aligned and realistic for teams on the ground. From providing external monitoring and evaluation for major social impact programmes such as Vodafone Foundation in Ireland’s Hi Digital programme to supporting long-term partners like the Dillon Quirke Foundation to develop clear, credible and consistent impact reporting, we work with organisations to streamline and strengthen their impact measurement and monitoring frameworks. This ensures learning, accountability and funder-ready evidence are built in from the start, rather than retrofitted later.

When those foundations are in place, organisations are better equipped to demonstrate impact with confidence and clarity.

We hope this has helped you feel prepared to demonstrate your impact with clarity and confidence in 2026!