Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA)

Who we are

Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA) is a knowledge sharing network for social impact measurement. Its purpose is to help foster the emerging practice of social impact measurement in Australia. Social impact measurement can be used by individuals and organisations to know and improve the social value and social impact they generate from their operations, programs or investments.

SIMNA acknowledges that the most material value created by not-for-profit organisations, charities and community organisations is social value. Businesses, social enterprises and other for profit and for purpose organisations can also create social value alongside commercial value.

SIMNA recognises that appropriate social impact measurement is necessary to answer the following questions in an organisation:

• How successful has it been in delivering its social purpose or mission?
• How effective and/or efficient has it been in achieving its social purpose?
• What aspects of its work can be improved based on the knowledge it has gained through measuring social impact?
• How successful has it been in understanding its social outcome value – both positive and negative?
• How successful has it been in using social measurement tools to deliver better outcomes for the people it serves?
• How successful has it been in communicating its social impact to a range of stakeholders?
• How committed is the organisation to investing resources in social impact measurement (regardless of outcome)?
• Could the financial and non-financial resources have been applied in a more efficient way, or in another way to achieve the same outcome?

SIMNA supports competency development by individuals and capacity building by organisations through sharing knowledge of, and promoting education and training in, social impact measurement. SIMNA also encourages and promotes gatherings, conferences or other initiatives to strengthen methodologies for measuring social impact.

Over time, and through its Members, SIMNA will advocate for the measurement of social impact across all sectors.

Read more here.

What we do

Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA) exists to rapidly connect the ideas, people and resources that will drive positive social and environmental impact into the core of organisations and decisions.

Our aim is to work with members to build a powerful community of practice that can lead and shape the development of social impact measurement both in Australia and around the world.

Since its foundation in 2012, SIMNA has developed a network of over 1,000 members actively seeking to improve measurement practices in Australia.  Our members range from those just starting out and wanting to ‘give it a go’ all the way to leading experts who wish to contribute and shape standards and practice.