Impact orientation creates clarity, legitimacy, and the ability to steer effectively.
Funding programs are increasingly coming under the spotlight of political and public expectations. Tight budgets, growing demands for efficiency and transparency, and requirements set out in budgetary regulations all call for a consistent focus on impact. In its coalition agreement, the current German government announced a comprehensive review of tasks and expenditures — with the aim of making funding programs more targeted, effective, and less bureaucratic. Planned savings in the billions and the development of a centralized funding platform underscore the urgency for action.
To ensure that these changes continue to reflect socially relevant goals and the actual needs of target groups, it is essential to take a proactive approach to impact orientation.
At the same time, funding programs offer tremendous potential to put impact-oriented public management into practice — from program design and funding allocation to measuring success. Yet this potential is often underutilized. That’s where our work begins.
Senior Consultant
flatters@imap-institut.de
+49 (0) 211 513 69 73 - 30
Projects
When funding programs are designed with an impact-oriented approach, more changes than just the reporting requirements: resources are allocated more strategically, funding decisions become more transparent, and the program’s legitimacy increases. A clear impact logic enables effective communication about the progress of funded projects – successes can be demonstrated more convincingly, and challenges can be identified and addressed at an early stage.
Impact orientation also strengthens professional exchange between projects, makes evaluations more meaningful, and enables evidence-based management. When combined with digital processes, it leads to faster, more transparent, and fairer approval and review procedures – with clear expectations for all parties involved. For us, this represents a hallmark of professional funding practice.
Our Offer: Embedding Impact Orientation Systematically and Practically
We support funders, approval authorities, and project implementers in integrating impact orientation from the very beginning – not as a rigid framework, but as a practical guide for management, adaptation, and reporting. Our approach creates a solid information base and incorporates the perspectives of all stakeholders – from funding bodies and approval offices to the target groups themselves
From funding program to application assessment
We provide guidance on the development or refinement of funding guidelines, indicator frameworks, application and reporting templates, as well as on the impact-oriented formulation of selection criteria and the organization of the selection process.
Accompanying the project
We support project leads in implementing impact-oriented initiatives – with a focus on what truly matters: feasibility, relevance, and tangible benefits. We facilitate workshops to develop shared impact models, support the setup of monitoring systems, and create spaces for exchange among funded projects.
Program review
We design evaluations not only to measure results, but to generate insights that support ongoing development. Our approach combines qualitative and quantitative methods in a thoughtful way, integrates digital solutions from the outset, and ensures tools are used efficiently – whether relying on in-house resources or specialized instruments. This way, impact orientation becomes a professional and integrated element of modern funding practice.
IMAP's offers for impact orientation in the overall process
Would you like to embed impact orientation in your funding program? No matter where you are in the process – we look forward to starting the conversation with you.
Senior Consultant
flatters@imap-institut.de
+49 (0) 211 513 69 73 - 30
Projects
Dive deeper here: Impact Orientation in Funding Programs: Expectation, Obligation and Opportunity
