At most organizations, community investment budgets come from profits, which means that funds would otherwise go to owners, investors, or shareholders. In other words, these budgets are discretionary.

When businesses, organizations or private foundations give discretionary resources, it is reasonable for them to expect more than a thank-you letter or a one-off story about a specific family or individual who might have benefited. In fact, increasingly, it is becoming the norm to expect more than simple outputs like how many people attended, or how the funds raised might be invested to help others.

Whether employers are focused on employee engagement campaigns or investing in key community priorities or a signature program, it’s critical to have a clear starting point, an understanding of how results will be measured in the near- and longer-term, and a solid mechanism through which to gather outputs, outcomes, and impact over time.