What is an impact evaluation? Impact evaluation is a type of evaluation that measures the changes in welfare of individuals, households, communities, or the environment that can be attributed to a specific intervention, such as a program, project, or policy. The core objective of impact evaluation is to determine whether the intervention caused the observed changes, and to what extent. Here's a breakdown of its key aspects: 1. Focus on Causality: The primary goal of impact evaluation is to establish a causal link between the intervention and the observed outcomes. This means determining if the changes would not have happened in the absence of the intervention. This differentiates it from other types of evaluation that might focus on efficiency, relevance, or effectiveness without necessarily proving causation. 2. The Counterfactual: To establish causality, impact evaluations rely on the concept of a counterfactual . This is what would have happened to the beneficiaries of the ...