Sandy Blackburn
Impact Specialist
The project has assisted us in identifying how we work, why we do what we do and what our priorities need to be. It was about trusting the process and providing Sandy's team with everything we had (all jumbled up) and allowing them to gently and respectfully pull it all apart and hand it back to us exactly as we hoped it could be. It has provided us with clear direction and alignment to the purpose, enabling investors to have confidence and a deeper understanding of what their return on investment will be. We have attracted significant philanthropic and additional government investment and acknowledgement due to our work with.
Stacey Ross,
CEO, The Centre for Women & Co and Men & Co
Sandy and her team of senior practitioners are leading impact specialists who bring significant insights and expertise to their projects.
The team works with organisations who are ready to increase their social, environmental or cultural impact through an evidence-based approach that centres the needs of vulnerable people, ecosystems and cultures. With expertise in researching, designing, costing, measuring and contracting for impact, the team has deep experience in the creation and measurement of social impact through decades of work in Australia and overseas. With the ability to undertake a cost benefit analysis for social programs, Sandy's team have a proven track record of supporting clients to become outcome contract ready and to attract new sources of funding. If your organisation is committed to improving and measuring your impact but unsure how best to achieve it, Sandy and her team can help.
Capabilities
Insights and impact
- outcomes measurement
- impact measurement
- evaluation
- impact/outcomes reporting / frameworks
- theory of change
Organisational and business planning
- strategic planning
Strategy, risk and governance
- strategic planning / review / retreats
- business improvement
Philanthropy, grantmaking and impact investing
- issues research
Transformation and change
- Organisational change management
CSR and ESG
- Purpose strategy
- Impact measurement
- Community/charity partnership development
Fundraising and partnerships
- Board workshops and advisory
Clients
Benevolent Society
Save the Children Australia (now 54 Reasons)
RSL Queensland
Future Generation Global (Philanthropic foundation)
ACOSS
Qualifications and recognition
Centre for Philanthropic and Not for Profit Studies, QUT advisory board
Philanthropy Australia Awards (Winner of the Collaboration Award 2024)
Outstanding Contribution award for social impact investing 2019
Working with Sandy has been excellent. The balance of deep expertise with practical, real work experience of their team was just what we needed. The team helped us make a shift in organisational culture to focus on the impact of our work and given staff the tools to put this into practice. As a result, our work is more effective and better aligned with our purpose. It has been particularly powerful in driving project design, helping us better articulate the outcomes we expect to achieve and attract financial support for our work. We have secured a number of large, multi-year grants as a result. We are also better able to communicate our successes.
Jonathon Hunyor,
CEO, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
