Components of an accountability

Good accountability is consistent with the design of your approved application. Here, the financial realization and the activity plan are the core, complemented by a reflection on impact. But beware: this list is not exhaustive. Above all, look back at your original application and the goals you set in it. The justification is in fact your reflection on what you promised and what you delivered.

Financial realization

In financial realization, you put budgeted costs and revenues next to actual figures. This shows how your project is doing financially. By clearly going into this, you show that you have a grip on the financial side of your project and that you are careful with resources. Important questions to include:

• Are there major differences between the original budget and the final expenses and revenues? And where did those differences come from?
• Have you received all planned grants and funds, or have you sought replacement funding?
• Have the hourly rates and salaries remained as in the original budget?
• How did the costs from the submitted bids match the final invoices?

Note: Did you find funding through a different route than originally planned? Then make sure your budget in the justification still meets the conditions of the parties that provided the money.

Content report

The content report describes what you implemented. Think about the number of activities, visitor numbers, target audience and how your planning went. A good content report not only provides numbers, but also tells the story behind what you put up. Helpful points of interest:

• What were your initial goals and did you achieve them?
• Did you get the number of visitors you estimated beforehand? Who were they and how does that fit with your target audience?
• Did all planned activities go ahead? If not, how did you respond?
• Were you able to reach your intended audience, and how did you measure that? Perhaps you collected quotes or feedback from visitors.
• How did the planning go? Were adjustments needed to keep the core of your project intact?
• Don't forget to briefly cover communications and marketing: a summary of media coverage or a press kit can be useful here.

Plan writing

Writing a plan and making your idea concrete are two processes that occur simultaneously. As you put your plan on paper, writing forces you to make concrete choices and ask yourself critical questions. On this page you will find a step-by-step plan for writing your plan. Keep in mind that there is no standard format - everyone has their own method. Therefore, let this guide be primarily a guide.

Impact measurement

The impact measurement is about the output of your project: what has it meant, in terms of content and in figures? Here you reflect on the value for audiences, collaborative partners and, for example, visibility in your city or region. With an impact measurement you show that you have not only achieved the 'hard' results, but have also realized valuable, lasting effects. Think about:

• What story did you want to tell, and did you succeed?
• How did audiences respond, what did collaborative partners think, and did great reviews appear?
• What has your project meant in terms of talent development or visibility?
• How do you look back on the work process itself?

Training - Results-oriented impact measurement

How do you demonstrate that your organization makes a difference? What do you want people to say about you, and how do you know if you are actually achieving that? In this intensive pressure cooker training you will discover how to make the desired impact measurable and visible. Not as a justification afterwards, but as a clear story that shows what you stand for. You will learn how impact becomes part of your strategy, with practical methods and applicable insights.