← Library · Core concept

Impact Measurement and Evaluation using Causal Inference

Causal inference techniques aim to determine if a specific intervention or program *caused* an observed outcome, rather than just being correlated with it. For nonprofits, this is crucial for rigorously evaluating whether a particular educational program truly improved student outcomes or if a food distribution initiative genuinely reduced food insecurity, isolating the program's effect from other influencing factors.

In plain terms

It's like conducting a carefully controlled science experiment to prove that a new fertilizer actually made plants grow larger, rather than just noticing bigger plants appeared after using it.

Why it matters

Robust causal inference studies provide undeniable evidence of a nonprofit's impact, which is vital for securing funding, validating program effectiveness, and continuously improving services to beneficiaries.

Learn one new AI thing every day.

Daily Deck sends you seven plain-English cards like this every morning. Free.

Start free