Glossary

Anti-Social Behaviour

Hostile or disruptive behaviour.

Discounted Value of Money

A '£' today is worth more than a '£' tomorrow, because its value will have decreased by a certain percentage, known as the discount rate.

Deadweight

The difference between outcomes and impacts, i.e. what would have happened anyway.

Outcomes - deadweight = impacts

Ex-Offenders

People with a criminal record.

Financial Value

An expression of what is considered a fair price, expressed in terms of money.

Foundation

An institution or charity with money, or its equivalent, as a permanent fund to support its activities.

Funders

People or organisations providing financial support for a programme or activity.

Government Initiative

A programme developed by government or the state.

Impacts

Impacts are Outcomes minus an estimate of what would have happened anyway (deadweight).

Outcomes - deadweight = impacts

Inputs

Resources invested into an activity.

Monetary Value / Monetary Terms

To express something using its monetary value is to express it in monetary terms.

Monetised / To Monetise

To express in terms of a money or currency value.

Net Present Value

The present value of an investment's expected cash flows in the future, minus the initial investment.

Objectives

The goal(s) your organisation is trying to achieve.

Outcomes

The changes resulting from the activity, i.e., a new job, increased income or improved life circumstances such as more stable housing or income.

Outputs

The direct and tangible products from the activity, i.e., people trained, trees planted, products sold.

Overheads

The ongoing administrative expenses of a business which cannot be attributed to any specific business activity, but are still necessary for the business to function.

Participation Rates

The number of people involved in an activity.

Philanthropist

A person interested in improving the well-being of humankind or the environment through charitable aid or donations.

Present Value

The value today of a future receipt of money.

Programme Delivery

The style or techniques used to run a particular programme.

Public Department

A department funded and run by the government or state.

Qualifications

A quality, ability, or accomplishment that makes a person suitable for a particular position or task. Usually officially validated or required for a particular job or post.

Regeneration

A set of interventions or programmes designed to improve the quality of life in an area through economic, social or environmental means.

Re-Offending Rate

The rate at which those who have committed crimes violate rules or laws a second time or on an ongoing basis.

Return On Investment [ROI]

ROI measures how effectively the firm uses its capital to generate profit.

Social Enterprise

Social enterprises are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. In other contexts these are called non-profit businesses, social-purpose businesses, or community enterprises.

Social Exclusion

To be shut out of activities in a community or wider society. Social exclusion happens when people or places suffer from a series of problems such as unemployment, discrimination, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, ill health and family breakdown. Social exclusion can happen as a result of problems that face one person in their life. But it can also start from birth. Being born into poverty or to parents with low skills still has a major influence on future life chances.

Social Investor

An individual or institutional investor interested in the social value created through its/their financial investment.

Social Venture Capitalist

A venture capitalist also interested in generating social/environmental value.

SROI

SROI is a quantitative measurement of how effectively an organisation uses its capital and other resources to generate value for society.

SROI Metric

The numeric result of an SROI analysis.

Stakeholders

Those who have an interest in, or are affected by, the activities of your organisation.

Support Payments

Financial payments made by the government or state to provide income or to supplement a person's or family's income (i.e. welfare, state pension, childcare allowance).

Sustainable Development

Development balancing near-term interests with the protection of the interests of future generations.

Theory of Change

Venture Capitalist

An investor who makes money available for innovative projects where both the risk of loss and the potential for profit may be considerable.

Vocational Training

Training in a special skill to be pursued in a trade (i.e electrician).

Voluntary Organisation

An organisation supported primarily by contributions or charitable donations rather than by government appropriations.

Well-Being

A positive state of existince characterised by happiness, satisfaction, personal development, fulfillment and engagement with 'community'. For more on well-being see nef.