Позитивные изменения. Том 2, №4 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 4 (2022) - страница 24

On the positive side, according to the expert, we can also add that the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation in 2022 mediated the evidence-based policy agenda in the public sector, continuing to hold a competition of best practices and initiatives of the evidence-based approach to management decision-making.

Also, the SOL' Social Innovation Support Center was awarded in the Development of Social Projects Evaluation System category for the introduction of social reporting standards and the theory of change in the activities of social enterprises.

The standard helps various social projects and charities to form a compelling account of their social activities and to formalize the logic of the project's transformative impact. It includes all the data required for reporting, from organizational structure to finances. The standard also provides an opportunity to show the real results of its activities to investors, government authorities and other stakeholders[21].

“We take a full-hearted approach to developing social innovation, and we believe if there is a problem, there is a solution. The social accountability standard tool allows social innovators to be clearer and closer to the people. I want to add that I spend a lot of time trying to understand the effects of social entrepreneurs, and how to help the state notice social entrepreneurs. The social impact assessment model, which is currently being developed by the Social Projects Support Fund, is still very difficult to use to compare one player with another, but it can be used for self-diagnosis – to see your own “growth zone.” The evaluation can be done by the project itself or by an independent player,” says Alexey Maslov, executive director of the SOL center and director of the Acceleration and Educational Programs Department of the Social Projects Support Fund of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.

There are four winners in the Development of Practices for Implementation of Evaluation of Social Projects category. The first award went to the Timchenko Foundation for developing a standard of evidence-based practices for evaluating social impact in childhood and for shaping approaches to assessing the effectiveness of community development.

In 2018, with the strategic participation of the Timchenko Foundation, the Standard for Evidence-Based Social Practices appeared in Russia[22]. It was developed by specialists from expert organizations, including Center for Evidence-Based Social Design of the Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Association of Program and Policy Evaluators, Process Consulting company, Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family, and Education of the Russian Academy of Education.

10 organizations from Moscow, Penza, Cherepovets, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Ivanovo provided descriptions of their social practices (model, technology, methodology, service, etc.) in an evidence-based format and were professionally verified. The format of the practice description implies its brief content, information on the achievement of social results, the quality of the available evidence on the achievement of positive changes in the lives of the beneficiaries, the regulated nature, the validity and good elaboration of the practice concept.