Kuartal Impact Index · Methodology v1.0
How we score organisations
In short
- We review an organisation's own published material and independent records: reports, audited accounts, registration, evaluations.
- Each of five pillars is scored 0–100 from smaller sub-criteria. Each sub-criterion is scored 0–100 and can carry a weight (1–10). The pillar score is the weighted average of its sub-criteria.
- A pillar is shown only when it is published, and a pillar cannot be published without at least one evidence source. Every published score lists its sources.
- The Impact Score (0–100) is the weighted average of the published pillar scores, using the weights below. If some pillars are not yet published, the weights of the published ones are scaled up to 100%.
- An organisation needs at least 3 published pillars to get an Impact Score. Until then it shows Not yet rated.
The five pillars and their weights
| Pillar | What we look at | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Impact & Outcomes | Evidence that programmes achieve the change they aim for: measured outcomes, not only activities. | 30% |
| Financial Health & Efficiency | How money is raised and used: programme share, reserves, cost control and audited accounts. | 20% |
| Transparency & Disclosure | What the organisation publishes: reports, financial statements, legal registration, how donations are used. | 20% |
| Governance & Accountability | Independent board, conflict-of-interest policy, complaints and safeguarding processes. | 15% |
| Community & Local Leadership | Whether affected communities shape and lead the work, and local staff and partners hold decisions. | 15% |
Grades
Each pillar score and the overall score get a letter grade:
- A+: 90–100
- A: 80–89.9
- B: 70–79.9
- C: 60–69.9
- D: 0–59.9
Confidence level
Confidence tells you how complete the evidence is, not how good the organisation is. Evidence completeness = (published pillars ÷ all pillars) × (sub-criteria with their own evidence link ÷ all scored sub-criteria).
- High: completeness of 80% or more
- Medium: 50% to 79%
- Low: under 50%
A worked example
Suppose Impact & Outcomes scores 80 (weight 30), Financial Health 70 (weight 20) and Transparency 90 (weight 20), and the other two pillars are not yet published. The Impact Score is (80×30 + 70×20 + 90×20) ÷ (30+20+20) = 5,600 ÷ 70 = 80.0, grade A. Confidence would be at most 3 ÷ 5 = 60%, so Medium.
What we never do
- We do not invent data or scores. If we cannot find evidence, the pillar stays unpublished.
- Organisations do not pay to be listed or to change a grade.
- Campaign pages only group organisations; they do not change scores.
Versions, reviews and corrections
This is methodology version 1.0. Each profile shows the version it was scored under and when it was last reviewed. Weights may change in a new version; when they do, we say so here.
Organisations can request a correction or a re-review by writing to hello@kuartal.id with links to their evidence.