How SDGs Frame Effectiveness
From Goals to Measurable Outcomes
The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide the framework for how Amply organizes and evaluates impact. This document explains how we apply SDGs to effectiveness measurement.
SDGs as a Universal Language
The 17 SDGs cover the full spectrum of global challenges—poverty, health, education, climate, equality, and more. By mapping all organizations to SDGs, Amply creates:
- Comparable categories: Organizations working on similar problems can be compared
- Clear scope: Donors understand what area an organization addresses
- Global alignment: The same framework used by governments, corporations, and NGOs worldwide
From Goals to Indicators
Each SDG has official targets and indicators defined by the UN. These provide concrete metrics for measuring progress:
| SDG | Example Target | Example Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Reduce extreme poverty by half | People living below $2.15/day |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Universal primary education | Primary school completion rate |
| SDG 6: Clean Water | Universal access to safe water | Population with access to safe drinking water |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Strengthen climate resilience | CO₂ emissions per capita |
Organizations on Amply report outcomes using indicators relevant to their SDG focus.
How Organizations Use SDGs on Amply
Tagging
When organizations join Amply, they tag their work with relevant SDGs. Most organizations focus on 1-3 primary goals, though some work across multiple areas.
Reporting
Organizations report outcomes mapped to their SDG tags:
- What indicators they track
- What progress they've achieved
- What evidence supports their claims
Comparison
Donors can filter and compare organizations within the same SDG category, understanding relative effectiveness within a cause area.
SDGs and Effectiveness Together
SDGs answer: What problem are you solving?
Effectiveness answers: How well are you solving it?
Together, they give donors a complete picture:
- Find causes you care about → Filter by SDG
- Understand what organizations do → Review their SDG-mapped activities
- Compare effectiveness → See outcomes and impact metrics
- Make informed decisions → Give where your money does the most good
Limitations
SDGs are a framework, not a perfect measurement system. Some important work doesn't fit neatly into SDG categories. Some indicators are hard to measure. Some impacts take years to materialize.
Amply uses SDGs as a starting point, not an endpoint. They provide structure and comparability while we continue developing more nuanced effectiveness metrics.
For Organizations
If you're an organization joining Amply, you'll map your work to relevant SDGs during onboarding. This helps donors find you and understand your focus.
Next: Measuring Impact