The Social Reporting Standard is a useful tool for reporting on your project’s results.
Website here
The SRS is free to use, and takes just a few pages to describe the key organizational data (leadership, finances, etc.) along with information about offerings, target groups and the results achieved.
While it facilitates reporting on ongoing activities, it can also be used in strategy-development processes or for communications purposes, for example, during a fundraising drive.
In parallel, it helps the organization develop further qualitatively (key idea here: a culture of learning!), and enables different projects to be compared with one another.
As a practical format for reflection and an aid to structuring thought, the SRS systematically examines the issue of effectiveness:
- What is the project’s underlying Logic modelA tool to develop and describe how an intervention (e.g., a project or program) is understood to contribute to the (intended) results. Other approaches and terms are theory of change, results framework, logical framework (logframe), results chains or program theory. logic model?
- What have you achieved during the reporting period?
- Is there a healthy relationship between expenditures and income?
- How could you expand or scale your offerings?
- Where could there be concealed risks?
In contrast to other reporting formats, the SRS is purposefully straightforward and limited in size. The advantages are outlined quickly and concisely in an explanatory video (unfortunately, the video is available only in German...):
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SRS in practice
Successful examples can be found on the SRS website (in German only). The SRS is also available as a learning tool – online and for download, and in english.