We have an unrealistic view of what it takes to make an impact and high expectations in terms of output vs input. We want the $1 we invested into a percentage of a child’s meal to help them become a successful accountant or lawyer in 20 years from now.
We need to relook at the theory of change and view impact more realistically. The human element comes into play, which complicates the situation.
Once we understand the nature of our engagement and the circumstances around our programs, we can then better understand input vs output.
Another element to consider is that when you contribute to a feeding program, there are many other contributors and your funding only makes up a percentage of that contribution. This complicates reporting on ROI, or cost per meal. But no need to worry, targets and math make this extremely easy.