"Dokova and Dokov for the Future" Foundation and the "Theory of Change" method

At the end of 2021, the team of the Dokova and Dokov for the Future Foundation reached out to us for a consultation. The foundation's work focuses on prevention and protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, protection of children in disadvantaged situations, and support for personal development and integration into society.

After a series of conversations, we identified the organization's development needs and proposed working together on the following areas:

• Building a network of contacts and partners among non-governmental organizations working in the same field

• Developing a "Theory of Change" and defining a vision, core priorities, and work programs

• Supporting the creation of detailed plans, activities, and work processes for each of the priorities/programs identified in the "Theory of Change"

The "Theory of Change" method focuses on identifying the core essence of an organization and defining how it will create positive change for its target groups. The idea behind this methodology emerged in the early 1990s and has since been adopted by philanthropic organizations, non-governmental organizations, government structures, universities, the UN, and other institutions.

At the heart of the "Theory of Change" is the identification and precise definition of the desired long-term goals. From there, a "backward mapping" process is applied to outline all the necessary conditions that must be in place, along with the relationships between them, in order to achieve the desired goals.

The long-term goal must be realistic to achieve, and everyone within the organization needs to have a clear understanding of it. That's why it's recommended that this methodology be applied with the help of a facilitator external to the organization, who can guide the team toward consensus throughout the process.

Once the first step is complete, the next stage involves establishing all the necessary conditions that will lead to achieving the goal. These are viewed as outcomes that serve as preconditions for reaching the long-term end result.

The process continues by answering a series of further questions related to achieving these outcomes and assessing their significance and capacity to lead to the desired goal. This produces what's known as the Results Framework, which provides the basis for shaping an action plan. Carrying out these activities then leads to the outcomes identified as preconditions for reaching the larger, long-term goal.

In developing the "Theory of Change" together with the Dokova and Dokov for the Future Foundation, our aim is for the end result of our consulting service to leave the organization's team with a clear plan and structure for action. Beyond achieving the specific goal, our approach is meant to help the foundation's team build the experience and confidence to continue managing its internal organizational processes independently going forward.

"Theory of Change" is part of our portfolio of consulting services, which we can also apply to your organization or business. If you have questions or interest related to this methodology, feel free to contact us at info@impactdrive.eu.