Obama Foundation Case Study: Designing a Measurement Framework for the Chicago Strategic Plan
The Challenge: Measuring Impact Across a Multi-Dimensional Community Investment Strategy
The Obama Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit on a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world, was preparing to launch the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) on Chicago’s South Side. Alongside this landmark development, the Foundation had crafted an ambitious five-year Chicago Strategic Plan with three interconnected goals: building community goodwill around the OPC, catalyzing economic development on the South and West Sides, and cultivating the next generation of young leaders in surrounding neighborhoods.
The challenge was significant: while the strategic vision was clear, the Foundation lacked a comprehensive measurement framework to track progress and demonstrate impact across these diverse and complex goals. Previous attempts to develop metrics had stalled, and the organization needed a partner who could translate aspirational goals into concrete, measurable indicators—grounded in available data and benchmarked against comparable institutions.
Our Solution: Stakeholder-Driven Discovery & Custom Measurement Framework Development
18 Coffees partnered with the Obama Foundation over three months to design a comprehensive measurement framework for the Chicago Strategic Plan. Our approach combined rigorous stakeholder discovery with benchmarking research and collaborative workshops to build a framework the organization could use—and build on—for years to come.
We began with strategic discovery interviews across key internal stakeholders and partner organizations, gaining a deep understanding of each strategic goal’s intended outcomes, existing data sources, and measurement challenges. We then facilitated interactive workshops that helped team members across departments align on organizational priorities and define what success would look like at each phase of the strategic plan.
Drawing on benchmarking research from comparable institutions—including presidential centers, community development organizations, and civic engagement initiatives—we developed SMART metrics for each of the three strategic goals. The resulting framework provided the Foundation with quantitative and qualitative measures of output and outcomes, an assessment of currently available data and what the Foundation would need to generate, clear sizing of each opportunity, and a roadmap for ongoing data capture and review.
Key Services Delivered:
Strategic Discovery Research & Stakeholder Interviews
Cross-Departmental Workshop Facilitation
Measurement Framework Design (SMART KPIs & Metrics)
Benchmarking Against Peer Institutions
Data Availability Assessment & Recommendations
Impact Pillar Development & Strategic Alignment
Tangible Impact: An Actionable Framework for Tracking Community Investment
18 Coffees delivered a concrete, actionable measurement framework that translated the organization’s ambitious strategic vision into trackable indicators of progress. The framework provided SMART metrics across all three strategic goals, giving the Foundation a clear system for demonstrating the community impact of the Obama Presidential Center.
The adaptable framework was designed to grow with the Foundation—providing both near-term accountability and long-term flexibility as the OPC and its surrounding programs continue to evolve.
“I was so thrilled to see the thought and effort put into this work. I’m going to be working on internal strategic planning to define our org-wide approach to data and measuring impact, and I’m planning to use this as an example of what we should be working towards as an organization.”
Project Details:
Project Length: 3 Months
Client Location: Chicago, IL
Industry: Nonprofit / Civic Engagement
Client Type: Large Nonprofit
Need help measuring the impact of your strategic initiatives? Contact us to discuss how our consulting expertise can help you build frameworks that translate vision into measurable outcomes.
AT A GLANCE
Project Length: 3 Months
Client Location: Chicago, IL
Industry: Nonprofit / Civic Engagement
Client Type: Large Nonprofit
Services Delivered: Business Consulting, Measurement Framework Design, Strategic Discovery, Workshop Facilitation, Benchmarking Research
