Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators

The report examines how community indicator systems (CISs) measure their performance and impact. Through a survey of 25 CISs, the authors identify common KPIs and suggest the use of results-based management frameworks to better organize these metrics. The study highlights a gap in research regarding the actual impact of CISs on community well-being and recommends increased sharing of best practices through networks like the Community Indicators Consortium.

• A survey of 25 community indicator systems (CISs) across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom revealed that 13 responded, and of those, nine were actively tracking KPIs to measure program performance and community impact.
• The study identified 38 different examples of KPIs, which cluster into seven broad categories: website statistics, citations in media and publications, event participation/subscriptions/inquiries, training and assistance provided, comments and anecdotes, indicator use, and policy/community action.
• Most CISs focus on KPIs that are easier to measure, such as website hits and media citations, while fewer track more complex outcomes like indicator usage or specific policy changes, often due to limited time and resources.
• The report argues that KPIs are most effective when organized within results-based management frameworks, such as the Government of Canada's framework or IISD's 'spectrum of policy impact', which categorize impacts from passive (receiving information) to active (observed policy change).
• There is a significant lack of research on the actual impact of CISs on community well-being and a need for better sharing of M&E best practices through networks such as the Canadian Sustainability Indicators Network (CSIN) and the Community Indicators Consortium (CIC).

APA

Macdonald, B., Rust, C., Thrift, C., & Swanson, D. (2012). Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_performance_communtiy_indicators.pdf

Chicago

Macdonald, Bobbie, Christa Rust, Charles Thrift, and Darren Swanson. Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_performance_communtiy_indicators.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Macdonald |first1=Bobbie |last2=Rust |first2=Christa |last3=Thrift |first3=Charles |last4=Swanson |first4=Darren |title=Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_performance_communtiy_indicators.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{macdonald2012measuring, author = {Macdonald, Bobbie and Rust, Christa and Thrift, Charles and Swanson, Darren}, title = {{Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_performance_communtiy_indicators.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }