Contribution, not attribution: A smarter way to show the impact of advocacy and partnership working

When charities report on their impact, particularly in advocacy efforts aimed at changing policies or systems, they often feel pressured to prove exactly what change they alone have caused. But when you’re working in a complex system – where funders, partners, policy changes, and wider social trends all play a role – focusing on attribution could be a costly dead end. Instead, you can tell a more compelling and authentic story by focusing on demonstrating your contribution to change.

Why contribution matters more than attribution

• It works best when evaluating complexity: The more complex the intervention being self-evaluated, the more relevant contribution is over attribution.
• It reflects reality, especially in complex situations: Change is rarely linear or down to one organisation. Your reporting should recognise multiple contributing factors.
• It saves resources: You avoid burning time and money on isolating “your bit” if it can never be fully separated.
• It’s more funder-friendly: Many funders now recognise that change happens through collaboration and value an honest account of how you played your part.

But wait, don’t let worries about overclaiming stop you from taking credit for the part you genuinely played in achieving change!

How to demonstrate contribution in practice

Evaluators can use formal methodologies such as Process or Contribution Tracing to establish a contribution story.

If you are self-evaluating activities, you can get to ‘good enough’ by following these steps:

Step 1: Map your chain of activities and how they lead to outcomes within a Theory of Change or logic model.

Advocacy example:

Research -> Policy briefings to decision-makers -> Coalition building with other organisations -> Engaging the public to support the campaign -> Increased engagement by policymakers in our position -> Issue raised in Parliament / local authority -> Policy commitments made -> Better policy for ultimate beneficiaries.

Services example:

Frontline service (e.g. advice, counselling, events) -> People improve their knowledge and skills -> They feel more connected to others -> They have increased wellbeing and resilience -> People have a better quality of life

Step 2: Identify the outcomes and activities indicators you will measure

Choose 2-3 indicators for each key activity or outcome and capture them in a simple Monitoring & Evaluation Framework.

Examples of indicators could include:

Step 3: Keep records of all of the indicators as and when they are achieved

• Low tech: You can keep a record of the indicators achieved in a Log Frame – a simple table in Word or Excel.
• Smart move: A dashboard is a great place to store this information, analyse data, and provide a beautiful data visualisation.  

Step 4: Tell your contribution story

Funders emphasise the importance of transparency about the confidence you have in claims and how change was achieved. So work back and ask what it was about your activity that led to the reported change.

Advocacy Example: Our research on young people’s mental health was shared with decision-makers through policy briefings and coalition meetings. By working with partner organisations and mobilising public support, we ensured the issue was raised in Parliament and included in local authority consultations. Policymakers cited our evidence in debates, demonstrating that our work contributed to shaping discussions and commitments around mental health provision for young people.

Service Delivery Example: We provided counselling and peer support groups for people with a rare health condition. 76% of participants reported feeling more connected to others, and 63% were recorded as having an increase in wellbeing (measured using the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale). When giving feedback, participants emphasised the importance of support tailored to their specific needs. By providing person-centred support and linking individuals to community networks, we contributed to a better quality of life for families affected by this condition who were previously isolated and unsupported.

The bottom line

Evaluation isn’t about proving you caused everything; it’s about making credible, transparent claims about your contribution. By focusing on contribution, you show humility, credibility, and collaboration – qualities that funders and partners respect.