Announcing: New and Improved Truelift Indicators Tool

A new version of Truelift Indicators Tool is now available!

We have made significant changes to the Tool’s usability and are excited to share them with you. This newest version of the Indicators Tool includes the Pro-Poor Principles, Essential Practices and Indicators used by Truelift for evaluation and learning. Please note: While we are making the Indicators Tool available now, it is currently still in a pilot stage. We hope that you will actively engage with us and continue to suggest improvements and clarifications.

What is the Truelift Indicators Tool?

First released in October 2013, the Indicators Tool is the current Truelift Assessment tool available to pro-poor microfinance practitioners. In order to be recognized as a Truelift Aspirant (click here for more about Truelift Milestones), a poverty-focused practitioner must:

• Join the Community of Practice
• Review and complete a Truelift Indicators Tool in order to diagnose strengths and weaknesses within the Pro-Poor Principles
• Submit the tool to the Truelift Secretariat for verfication

Results from the Indicators Tool will point to the practitioner’s strengths and weaknesses in reaching poor clients, meeting their needs, and tracking progress over time.

Collaboration

Truelift is currently collaborating with CERISE to integrate these indicators as part of the 2014 pilot of SPI 4.0. The final SPI version 4.0 is due for completion Q1 of 2015.  Ultimately, we hope that SPI 4.0 will be the self-assessment tool for Truelift, and the pilot will help us to refine this opportunity.

The Truelift framework is an application of the Social Performance Task Force’s Universal Standards of Social Performance Management (USSPM) against the specific objective of poverty outreach and creating change over time. Truelift provides a pro-poor lens on the USSPM, as descibed in the image below.

click to enlarge image

What changes have been made to the Indicators Tool?

As of February 13, 2014 changes include:

• Addition of a summary page highlighting strengths and opportunities for development identified by the assessment;
• A streamlined process to complete the assessment;
• Updated terminology to further sync with the Universal Standards for Social Performance Management from the Social Performance Task Force and the Client Protection Principles of the Smart Campaign.

How do I use the tool?

The Guidelines Wiki
To help users of the Tool to complete the assessment and understand the indicators, we are also piloting an accompanying Wiki page. The Wiki is complete with guidelines and examples for each indicator. In addition, registered Indicators Tool users are invited  to ask questions and provide comments directly on the Wiki’s indicator pages.

Could you help us raise $2,500 to fund the completion of the Guidelines Wiki?
Click here to use our secure donation form.

How can I access the tool?

Click here for more information on how to download the Truelift Indicators Tool. You will also find information on submitting a completed tool to the Truelift Secretariat.

Continuing Development of the Tool

Functionality
We hope that as you use the Indicators Tool, you will actively engage with us and give us feedback that helps us continue to improve the functionality and usability of the tool. The Truelift Secretariat can be reached at info[@]truelift.org with any comments or questions.

Essential Practices and Indicators
The Truelift Assessment indicators were developed by our Technical Committee of microfinance industry experts, and continuing review of the indicators is the responsibility of our current Microfinance Technical Review Committee. Given the continuing evolution of pro-poor microfinance practice and constant development of new resources and technology for poverty-focused practitioners, the Truelift Assessment framework in intended to evolve with the industry as it advances.

We hope the Truelift Indicators Tool is able to help your institution improve its ability
to reach, serve, and create positive results for clients living in conditions of poverty.