Why We Built Our Impact Management Framework

Confronting the global housing crisis requires a clear vision and proven methods that inspire action. 

Encouraged by the work of other organizations in the field of impact investments, we’ve honed “New Story’s Impact Management Framework” as a living document given its ever-changing and adapting nature to the learnings, needs, and plethora of projects that compose our portfolio. 

As a member of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) – the world's largest community of impact investors – we've built a blueprint for transforming how our organization approaches access to affordable housing and also aligned it with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) to ensure compliance with international standards and contribute to the global agenda.

Measuring What Matters

Our Impact Management Framework is a comprehensive system for measuring and maximizing the real-world impact of our land and housing solutions, inspired by globally recognized standards like GIIN's IRIS+, which is the system for impact investors to measure, manage, and optimize their impact. 

It tracks how our work transforms lives through land ownership and housing, with specific indicators that measure everything from economic impact to gender equality. 

Our framework tracks this transformation across multiple dimensions:

At its core, it's our blueprint for proving and improving how market-based housing solutions can create lasting change for vulnerable families. As of 2024, we’ve developed new indicators (that are not part of the IRIS+ catalogue) to contribute to the measurement of affordable housing through land; incentivizing the market to understand the transcendental impact land has on vulnerable communities.

Why This Matters for Families

Here's the reality: 1.8 billion people lack adequate housing across the world. Behind this number are families like Maura's in Mexico, who moved in with relatives because affordable housing options seemed out of reach.

Our framework ensures every family in our program becomes part of a bigger story. Their journey – from saving for land to achieving homeownership – helps us understand what works and how to create positive change in affordable housing.

Creating a Blueprint for Change

As we progress toward helping thousands more families gain formal land ownership, this framework drives accountability and proves the power of market-based solutions to the housing crisis.

Think of it as creating a new language for measuring housing impact – one that other organizations can adopt and build upon, while clearly articulating our strategy. When we measure how land ownership affects generational wealth or how housing stability impacts education, we create benchmarks that will guide future innovation in affordable housing.