Amongst charity KPIs, the single key metric (if there can be only one) is arguably total charity impact per time period. To improve charity performance, either the total impact can be improved. Or the time period shortened somehow.

A prerequisite (table stakes) to improving charitable impact is to maintain relevance to the targeted beneficiary group – not always as easy as it sounds.  

Increasing the overall charity impact may come from reducing some risks to increase the overall favourable outcome. Or by increasing the impact achieved, for the same level of risk.

Meanwhile, two legitimate approaches to shortening the time period (to improve the KPI) are to buy time or reinvent time. Buying time means embracing ways to achieve impact sooner. But not simply reduce future impact by achieving it today instead.

Buying time includes embracing techniques to increase throughput, exploit information sooner and involve beneficiaries (self service) as well as caseworker staff services. Reinventing time is less obvious and can include a variety of tactics. One is using reverse mentoring of staff to boost the skill-base. Another is blurring the milestone boundaries on charitable outputs. A third is to design supplier contracts that provide retrospective benefits for the charity, should some future unfavourable condition arise.

All of the above is ethical. Give it a go and simplify your KPI reporting in the process!

Simon