Write an Impact Statement for Your Extension 4H Program Linda J. Brewer, Department of Horticulture

Impact Statements Justify the investment of public dollars; Are the consequences of what we do; Arise from data collection during evaluation; Can be environmental, social or economic; Can be planned or unintended; positive or negative. Attribution vs. impact.

Parts of an Impact Statement Part 1: Issue Part 2: Goal or mission statement Part 3: Outputs: what you did Part 4: Outcomes: what changed Part 5: Impact: interpretation of outcomes

The Issue: First Sentence General fact – generally accepted. Example: Natural resources are abundant in Coos County and are the basis of our economy, yet there are few opportunities for youth grades K-12 to learn about natural resources.

The Issue: Second Sentence Local fact - generally agreed upon about your state, region, or county. Example: Local resource professionals are concerned that youth are increasingly disconnected from the natural world around them.

The Issue: Third Sentence Focus of Concern for your program. Example: There are many natural resource jobs in Coos County, but youth do not have an opportunity to learn about these career options.

Program Mission or Goal We have partnered with [an impressive list of local organizations] to offer natural resource education for fifth graders. Write this first? Complete this sentence: Our mission was to . . . My goal in creating this program was to . . .

Outputs: What You Did 4-H has partnered with . . . to offer natural resource education for fifth graders. The program consists of field trips with hands-on, interactive learning stations. Learning stations are taught by volunteer NR professionals and program organizers. I facilitate planning committee meetings, design learning stations, recruit and train volunteer instructors and evaluate the program.

What You Did: Specific Outputs Since 2005, 4-H has partnered with the natural resource organizations to offer educational programming for fifth graders. The program consists of 4-6 field trip days of 6 hands-on, interactive learning stations based on Project Learning Tree and Project Wild.

Outcomes A strengthened network, increased collaborations. Increased communication among natural resource professionals, environmental educators and K-12 educators. Increased in-kind support.

More Outcomes Expanded natural resources K-12 educational opportunities - there are now 5 annual programs. More requests for K-12 natural resources programs locally. Larger, more experienced pool of natural resources professionals to lead activities each year. Program met and exceeded original goals.

Interpretation of Outcomes Difficult to claim impact at this point.

Check Your Work Review the Top Tips Handout Glossary CRIS Database Handout Critically analyze what you put in the fields in the SOARS template, keeping in mind the definitions of output, outcome, and impact. November 17, 2018