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Social Impact Strategy
A social impact strategy succeeds when people in the communities you serve actually do something differently. We help mission-driven organizations define those behaviors, build a theory of change around them, and invest where change is most likely.
The problem behind the problem.
Mission-driven organizations rarely lack purpose. They often lack a clear line between their activities and the change they exist to create. Programs accumulate over years, each with its own funder, reporting format and champion. Boards see activity counts: workshops held, materials distributed, people reached. What remains unclear is whether families are getting screened earlier, students are staying enrolled or patients are reaching care sooner. Without that clarity, resources spread thin and hard choices get postponed.
Behavioral science adds precision. Most social outcomes depend on specific behaviors by specific people: a parent scheduling a vaccination, a teacher adopting a new practice, a clinician referring to community mental health services, a resident trusting public health guidance. A social impact strategy built on a theory of change identifies those behaviors, the barriers that stand in the way and the evidence that the organization's work can move them. That focus helps leaders choose where to invest and what to stop.
How we deliver social impact strategy.
- 01Observe
Listen to the community
We conduct interviews and listening sessions with the people the organization serves, frontline staff, partners and funders. We seek to understand daily realities, barriers and assets in the community, and we give particular weight to voices that are often missing from strategy discussions, such as people who stopped participating or never engaged.
- 02Signal
Map behaviors to outcomes
We review program data, public datasets and research evidence to build a theory of change and logic model that links activities to the specific behaviors, and then to the outcomes, the organization exists to improve. We identify which links are supported by evidence and which rest on assumptions that need testing.
- 03Design
Choose focused strategies
We help leadership prioritize the behaviors and populations where the organization can make the greatest difference, and design or refine programs to address the real barriers, whether motivation, ability, access, trust or timing. We also identify activities to stop or hand off, which is often the hardest and most valuable decision.
- 04Test
Pilot and learn
We design pilots with clear success measures and, where feasible, comparison groups. Pilots focus on the riskiest assumptions in the theory of change. We bring participants and frontline staff into the review of results, so adjustments reflect both the data and the lived experience of the community.
- 05Scale
Align the organization
We translate the strategy into goals, indicators and a learning agenda that staff, boards and funders can share. We coach leaders to use the theory of change in budgeting and program decisions, and help them communicate the strategy to funders in terms of behaviors and outcomes rather than activity alone.
Deliverables.
What changes.
Who engages us.
We work with executive directors, chief executives, program and strategy leaders, and boards of public health associations, medical associations, foundations, academic medical centers, school districts and community organizations. Typical triggers include a new strategic plan, a leadership transition, a major grant or funder requirement, a program portfolio that has grown without focus, or a desire to show impact more convincingly to donors and the public.
Industries
Beyond the balance sheet.
The purpose of social impact strategy is better lives: earlier diagnoses, children who stay in school, people who reach mental health care, communities that can trust and act on public health information. Staff benefit from clarity about why their work matters and permission to stop low-value activity. Funders benefit from honest evidence. We design with communities, not merely for them, and respect people's autonomy in every behavior we aim to support.
Frequently asked questions.
What is a theory of change?
A theory of change describes how and why an organization's activities are expected to lead to its intended outcomes, including the assumptions in between. A logic model is a structured version showing inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes. We add a behavioral layer, specifying which people need to do what differently, because outcomes depend on those behaviors.
How does behavioral science improve social impact strategy?
It clarifies the behaviors that drive outcomes and the barriers that prevent them, such as limited access, low trust, competing demands or a lack of timely prompts. Programs designed around those barriers tend to be more effective than programs designed around information alone, because knowing what to do is rarely the only obstacle.
Do you work with small nonprofits?
Yes. We scope work to fit the organization's resources, sometimes focusing on a single program or a facilitated theory of change process. Smaller organizations often benefit most from clarity, because limited resources make focus essential and every program decision carries more weight. Clear priorities also make smaller organizations more compelling to funders who want to understand exactly how their support creates change in the community.
How do you involve the communities being served?
We include community members in research from the start through interviews, listening sessions and participation in reviewing pilot results. We compensate participants fairly where appropriate and pay attention to accessibility, language and trust. Their insight regularly changes the strategy in ways leadership alone would not have anticipated. Engaging communities this way also builds the trust programs need to succeed.
Often paired with.
Impact Measurement & Evaluation
Measure whether programs are changing behavior and outcomes, with logic models, behavioral indicators and evaluation designs suited to real-world constraints.
ExploreNonprofit & Association Advisory
Strengthen member engagement, volunteer participation and mission impact for associations and nonprofits, using behavioral research and practical program design.
ExploreCommunity Behavioral Health Advisory
Help community mental health organizations improve access, engagement and continuity of care, using behavioral research, service design and practical evaluation.
ExploreRelated insights.
Behavior Change at the Group Level
Why changing a group is different from changing an individual, and how norms, identity, networks and shared routines can be designed to make new behaviors spread and stick.
Read
Systems Thinking for Leaders
A practical introduction to systems thinking for leaders: feedback loops, delays, stocks and flows, and where to intervene so that problems stay solved instead of returning.
ReadReady to talk about social impact strategy?
Every engagement begins with a conversation. Tell us what you are facing and we will tell you, candidly, how we would approach it.
Start a conversation