National Lottery Heritage Fund

(Carbon Footprint Assessment)

The Challenge
Measure the carbon footprint of the grants portfolio and set a science-based decarbonisation target to achieve net zero by 2050. With this not being done for any UK based funder’s portfolio there were no established methods and approaches to adopt.

What I Did
Led sector-leading research on carbon footprint assessment, coordinated collation of data from different teams, and facilitated a steering group. Briefed consultants unfamiliar with funder practices and worked collaboratively to make decisions and tackle challenges.

Impact
Delivered the first carbon footprint assessment of a funding portfolio in the UK. Enabled the organisation to set and monitor decarbonisation targets, enhancing environmental outcomes reporting. Made recommendations to improve data collection processes benefiting both grantees and the Heritage Fund.

FareShareUK

(Carbon Footprint Assessment)

The Challenge
Measuring the carbon footprint of an organisation that operates a nationwide food distribution system with regions being run by 18 separate but federated organisations.

What I Did
Project managed the assessment with the Carbon Trust, provided necessary organisation briefings, coordinated input across teams and organisations across the country.

Impact

The charity was able to quantify its carbon footprint on both a national and regional level., enabling all 18 federated organisations to have a baseline with which to make improvements. 

Rewilding Britain

The Challenge

Create the organisation's first impact framework; a move towards an outcomes-based approach after ten years of operating. Within an eNGO sector that isn’t experienced with outcomes-based approaches.

What I Did
Created and implemented the impact framework, facilitated workshops, upskilled staff, embedded new learning and review processes, and updated the board report template. Devised outcomes and indicators for the organisation’s Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy.

Impact
Provided the organisation with foundations to take a more robust approach to monitoring progress, documenting impact and embedding equity and diversity.

National Institute for Health and Care Research

The Challenge
Ensure all eight Research Infrastructure schemes were evaluation reading by developing MEL plans for each scheme including logic models and key evaluation questions. While some schemes had existing logic models they all needed standardising and to have accompanying MEL plans.

What I Did
Led MEL planning, co-developed logic models and evaluation questions, scoped and designed outcome and process evaluation for the Biomedical Research Centres scheme which also included developing the tender and designing the bid assessment process.

Impact
The Research Infrastructure schemes were evaluation ready and had a foundation to improve monitoring, evaluation and learning.

National Lottery Heritage Fund

The Challenge
Track progress against the new ‘Heritage 2033’ strategy by developing a Theory of Change and Impact Framework

What I Did
Co-led a workstream alongside the strategy team, to develop a Theory of Change and impact framework.

Impact
Enabled more strategic tracking against intended outcomes, aligning impact evaluation with strategy implementation.

NCVO

The Challenge
Analyse the feedback from a nationwide member consultation process involving over 900 organisations and individuals, to develop NCVO’s strategy.

What I Did
Analysed survey, interview, workshop, and focus group data, co-produced coding frameworks, extracted and refined key insights, and presented findings to trustees.

Impact
The strategy was shaped around the relationship-centred insights identified in the analysis, ensuring member’s feedback shaped the strategy and met their needs.

Habitats & Heritage/Environment Trust

The Challenge
External evaluation of a project ‘Inspiring a love of local places: Strengthening the Environment Trust's capacity to deliver’ funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund at short notice with limited budget and no prior evaluation planning.

What I Did:
Focussed evaluation on communications, volunteering, and membership; delivered a thorough review within limited time; supported the upcoming charity merger.

Impact:
Provided actionable recommendations and facilitated merger preparedness.

FareShareUK

(Network Capacity/Evaluation)

The Challenge
Managing the final external evaluation for National Lottery Community Fund grant to increase capacity and efficiency across the network, including volunteering. As a result of the pandemic grant spending and timelines changed. This meant the final evaluation took place only 4 months after the interim evaluation. I needed to ensure the final evaluation did not replicate the interim report and was also useful for FareShare’s development because it was a bigger org after the pandemic than it was before.

What I Did
Coordinated cross-organisation input and identified evaluation focus areas, delivering a report that was using for the charity, its 18 federated delivery partners and the funders.

Impact
Identified areas for development linked to social impact measurement and helped FareShare become a more networked organisation.