As a public funder for the Ministry of Defence, everything we fund is part of the rolling research into what helps to reduce disadvantage for the armed forces community under the Covenant – building the evidence base on ‘what works’, and spreading that learning.
It’s why our strategy is underpinned by a theory of change, showing the outcomes we want to enable through our funding:
- Each programme is designed to deliver those outcomes.
- In your application form, we’ll ask you how your proposed project will deliver on the programme’s outcomes
- Our external research partners will work with you to understand and publish what your project learns and achieves – a great way for you to show others your work in action.
If we fund your project, your regular progress reports will be used by our research partners in their evaluation. Your report will ask you for:
- Information about the people you help (in totals, not names).
- Information on how your project is doing, using ‘signal of success’ metrics that we’ll agree with you to help our evaluators understand outcomes across a whole programme.
If we fund your project, your regular progress reports will be used by our research partners in their overall evaluations, which are published for everyone to learn from. Your report will ask you for:
- Information about the people you help (in totals, not names).
Information on how your project is doing, using ‘signal of success’ metrics that we’ll agree with you to help our evaluators understand outcomes across a whole programme.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the Impact Hub close?
Because in the eight years since the Hub was first commissioned, the sector’s approach to gathering beneficiary and outcomes data has evolved significantly.
We’ve worked with grant partners to refine and simplify our data ask, and to develop a way of supplying that data to us which makes it easier to align with the data collection systems you already use.
When did the Impact Hub close?
31st March 2026
How will I know what 'signal of success' metric to use on my project in future?
If your grant was awarded before 31st March 2026, you’ll use our interim outcomes data sheet in your reporting.
If your grant is awarded 1st April 2026 onwards, we’ll agree on the metrics to use as part of your grant set-up.
Can I still access the Impact Hub to download my project's data?
No. The Hub closed on 31st March 2026. We sent out lots of reminders in the run-up to its closure but if you haven’t already downloaded your project data, you can no longer do so.