Impact in Dollars and Beyond: Making Every Action Count in Rural Development
by Kirsten Ehrich | 16 May 2025
In the pursuit of sustainable rural development, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) go beyond traditional metrics to ask: What does true impact look like? This article explores how HRNS applies Social Return on Investment (SROI) as a key tool to quantify the value of its work, translating improvements in productivity, income, and resilience into tangible financial terms. But HRNS also recognizes that not all transformation can be counted. Drawing on experiences from projects in Latin America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia, and recent academic engagement at the University of Hamburg, the piece highlights a nuanced Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) approach. Combining hard data with human stories, HRNS uses SROI not to impress but to learn, adapt, and ensure accountability to the communities it serves. The article advocates for a fit-for-purpose evaluation philosophy, where learning is ethical, context-driven, and ultimately centered on people, not just numbers.