provided by Research Papers in Economics
Imp-Act
Practice Notes
IMPROVING THE IMPACT OF MICROFINANCE ON POVERTY: ACTION RESEARCH PROGRAMME ISSN: 1740-4711 • NUMBER FOUR • 2005
Using Surveys
effectively
What are
Impact Surveys?
is a global action research
programme designed to improve
the quality of microfinance
services and their impact on
poverty.
Imp-Act promotes the
development of reliable social
performance management
systems, which include impact
assessment. These systems
reflect and respond to client
needs, as well as the priorities
of microfinance institutions
(MFIs) and their stakeholders.
The programme is a
collaboration between 30 MFIs
in 20 countries and a team of
academics from the UK
universities of Bath and
Sheffield, and the Institute of
Development Studies, Sussex
University. The Imp-Act
programme was initiated by
the Ford Foundation, which
funds all Imp-Act activities.
Imp-Act
Imp-Act Secretariat
Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
Brighton, BN1 9RE
Telephone: 01273 873733
Fax: 01273 621202/691647
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.imp-act.orgwww.microfinancegateway.org/
section/resourcecenters/
impactassessment
IMPACT ASSESSMENT surveys
are questionnaire-based surveys
that allow microfinance institutions
(MFIs) to produce statistically valid
information on the changes occurring
in the lives of their clients and to
assess whether these changes can be
associated with their participation in
the programme.
When are impact surveys
appropriate?
Many MFIs need to provide statistical
evidence to external audiences, such
as donors, investors and boards,
showing that their programmes are
having an impact on the lives of their
clients. Others may wish to find out
the patterns and direction of these
changes, to help them make
decisions. Impact surveys can provide
general statistical data about these
changes when they are carefully
conducted.
As well as generating information
on impact, impact surveys can also
produce data on who the clients are,
and what they like or dislike about
the programme. However this type of
data can also be obtained from other,
cheaper and simpler tools. It is
therefore important not to undertake
an impact survey if these are your
main information requirements.
Conducting a successful impact
survey involves time, money and
skills. It is therefore essential to be
clear about whether a survey is the
right approach to your needs, and to
be aware of what is involved and
what the potential problems might be,
before deciding to conduct one.
We do not recommend that you
conduct an impact survey if your MFI
has no previous experience in impact
assessment. You can gain confidence
and skills in data collection and
analysis by using easier tools first,
and you can build findings from these
into the design of your impact survey.
How can this Practice Note
help you?
This Note will help you understand
what an impact survey involves, to
decide whether you have sufficient
resources to conduct one, and to
consider how best to manage external
support if you need to. It outlines the
key issues in planning, designing and
implementing a survey. The Note also
includes practical examples from a
number of Imp-Act partner MFIs.
IM P-ACT PRACTICE NOTES • NUMBER FOUR • 2005 • PAGE ONE