Introducing the Impact Navigator Masterclass
The ‘Impact Navigator Masterclass’ is an impact measurement and management (IMM) course that aims to provide practitioners with an opportunity to reflect on their organizations’ impact, understand how to integrate IMM into the development of their programs, learn about the appropriate means and tools to capture, quantify and record impact, and the strategic implications of doing so.
Date:
5–6th November 2025
Place:
Bucharest, RAF House, Gina Patrichi Street No. 6, Bucharest, 010449, Romania
Duration:
2 full days
Seats:
Registration required; Limited to 24
Cost:
- Early Bird (1500 RON, until September 20th)
- Regular (2000 RON, until October 20th)
In order to prevent food waste, this year, we are applying a separate fee for the participant’s dinner. While this fee does not cover the actual costs, it is meant to increase our awareness and responsibility towards natural resources. If you would like to participate in the Participant’s Dinner, an additional 100 fee will apply.
Language: EnglishTrainers:
- Dr. Reinhard Millner
- Dr. Peter Vandor
Competence Center for NPOs and Social Entrepreneurship WU Vienna
COURSE DESCRIPTION
During the masterclass, renowned experts in the field of impact measurement and management (IMM) from the NGO Academy at WU Vienna will give you an overview of key methods of measurement and their underlying logic, as well as provide you with guidance materials to implement them in the context of your organization. Together, you will explore the different roles of impact measurement in the management of organizations, from creating legitimacy to supporting decision-making.
The course is grounded in scientific knowledge, building on cutting-edge academic research results, but focuses on the practical applicability of thecontent (through individual and group exercises) and on enabling practice-sharing and relationship-building between participants.
Among others, the course will cover:
● Introduction to the impact measurement discourse.
● Exploring the methods toolkit (introduction to key concepts, IOOI impact logics, TOC, impact staircase, etc.).
● Measuring what matters: instruments and rationales.
● Impact management in practice (integration with strategy, measurement portfolios, etc.).
● Understanding and describing your impact.
● Documenting and communicating your impact (reporting standards).
● The audience perspective: what do investors and evaluators look for in an impact report?
● Provision of further resources and tools to participants (metrics databases, guidebooks, templates).
TARGET GROUP
This masterclass is designed for:
1. NGO professionals actively engaged in measuring and/or managing impact in a leadership position (CEOs and Program Managers), as well as
2. CSR specialists who engage with a portfolio of NGOs need to measure and communicate their impact.
It is beneficial (but not a prerequisite) for participants to have some previous experience working with impact measurement methods.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Understanding the theoretical background on impact measurement and impact management.
2. Gaining access and understanding of tools for impact measurement and impact management.
3. Becoming able to conduct the main steps of an impact assessment process in a basic fashion /being competent to work with an evaluator on eye level.
4. Assessing how and where to implement impact management within the organization.
5. Building or deepening professional networks with peers and faculty.
PRE-EVENT SURVEY
In preparation for the workshop, you will be requested to fill out a survey 2-3 weeks before the training. This survey will contain questions about your organization, its impact, and its impact measurement and management practices.
Filling out the survey will require you to gather internal information and/or consciously reflect on current practices in preparation for the course. The results gathered will allow the lecturers to fine-tune workshop content, and they will also be presented to participants during the training.
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
| Day 1 | Day 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 – 10:00 | Registration & Welcome coffee | Welcome coffee |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Masterclass opening | Course part 5 |
| 10:15 – 11:30 | Course part 1 | |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Coffee Break 1 | Coffee Break 3 |
| 11:45 – 13:00 | Course part 2 | Course part 6 |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | Lunch |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Course part 3 | Course part 7 |
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Coffee Break 2 | Coffee Break 4 |
| 15:45 – 17:00 | Course part 4 | Wrap up & Closing |
| 18:00 – 21:00 | Participants’ dinner |
MEET THE TRAINERS
Reinhard Millner is a senior researcher and lecturer at WU Vienna, co-founder and head of the Social Entrepreneurship Center. He has a background in business administration as well as in economics from studying at WU Vienna, the University of St.Gallen, and the London School of Economics. Since 2013, he also serves as Academic Director for the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy, offering a range of capacity-building programs to NGOs and social enterprises in 13 countries in Central and Southeast Europe, and to which he contributes in the areas of program development, curriculum design, and program implementation.
Furthermore, he is the Program Director of the NEXT Award Program, an acceleration program for Austrian Social Enterprises. He was a visiting scholar at the Stockholm School of Economics and a visiting lecturer at the Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, as well as at the Centre for Philanthropy Studies of the University of Basel, among others. He regularly teaches courses for the WU undergraduate program and the WU MBA program.
Reinhard Millner was a member of the GECES subgroup on social impact measurement, a group of experts of the European Commission developing the methodology to measure the socio-economic benefits created by social enterprises. Moreover, he serves on the advisory boards of several non-profit organizations and is a jury member and project evaluator in several award schemes, such as the TRIGOS Award, the Social Impact Award, and the TUN Award, among others, and has assessed over 1200 projects so far.
His research interests are Philanthropy and Foundations, Impact Investing, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Impact Assessment, as well as Nonprofit Management.
Peter Vandor is a senior researcher and lecturer at WU Vienna, co-founder and head of the Social Entrepreneurship Center. In his position at the WU, he has been leading 100+ collaboration projects around research, capacity building, impact assessment, and innovation, with partners such as the United Nations Development Program, the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Fraunhofer Ventures, Robert Bosch Foundation, and CERN. Since 2013, he is the Academic Director of the NGO Academy, a capacity-building program for nonprofits and social enterprises offered in partnership with the ERSTE Foundation.
His research focuses on social entrepreneurs and their ecosystem, as well as immigrant entrepreneurship, and has been published in leading management journals, including the Journal of Business Venturing, the Journal of World Business, and the Harvard Business Review.
Peter was a SCANCOR visiting scholar at Stanford University and a visiting lecturer at St. Petersburg University and Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences. At WU Vienna, he established the first academic course on social entrepreneurship in Austria and regularly teaches in undergraduate and MBA programs. Peter is the founder and academic director of the Social Impact Award, a capacity-building program for young social entrepreneurs in Europe, Central Asia, and East Africa.
As a jury member, coach, and advisor, he supports several nonprofit organizations and philanthropic awards in Austria and was nominated as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum in 2012.