We set out to ask a crucial question…
A 25-year milestone is a reason for celebration, and also an opportunity for reflection.
As we celebrated 25 years of ministry, we found ourselves asking some important questions. Were we accomplishing the work God had called us to? How were our graduates doing years after leaving Micah? What parts of our ministry were having the greatest impact? And where did we still need to grow?
Those questions led us to participate in Project Impact, a nine-month evaluation process designed to help organizations prove and improve their impact through data. Rather than simply counting activities or sharing stories, Project Impact measures changes in people's lives through interviews, surveys, and thoughtful analysis.
Over the next nine months, we interviewed graduates, surveyed alumni, examined the patterns that emerged, and reflected carefully on what we learned. As we celebrated twenty-five years of ministry, this process gave us the opportunity to better understand which aspects of Micah's model have produced lasting impact, where future growth opportunities remain, and how we can faithfully serve the next generation.
What were the steps?
Over nine months, our team met regularly to work through each step of Project Impact. We began by naming the impact we hope to see in every graduate, which meant returning to the heart of our mission after 25 years and putting our original purpose into clear words.
With guidance from Steve Patty, Ph.D., we developed interview questions and survey instruments to measure those intended impacts. His extensive experience in higher education and program evaluation helped us create tools we could trust.
We then collected interviews and survey responses from our graduates, studying both their individual stories and the broader patterns that emerged. Along the way, we looked closely at what the data revealed, including what was missing or left unsaid. This process helped us identify where Micah is making a lasting impact, where we can improve, and some of our most meaningful insights came from reading between the lines.
At the end of the process, we compiled our findings into a comprehensive report and published a companion volume that makes the evaluation's key findings accessible to supporters, partners, and other readers.
About the data
Over the past 25 years, more than 100 young men have called Micah home. For Project Impact, we were grateful to hear directly from many of them. We conducted in-depth interviews with one-third of Micah’s adult graduates and received survey responses from 30 graduates, representing nearly 30% of all young men who have completed our long-term residential program.
What were some of our findings?
Project Impact exists to help organizations prove what is working and improve where they can grow.
Here's what we learned.
When we sat down with all of the data, our first response was gratitude. So many of the things we have set out to accomplish over the past 25 years, creating freedom, family, and a future in Christ, were clearly reflected in the lives of our graduates. It was encouraging to see evidence of lasting transformation, and we are excited to share these findings with the supporters who have made this ministry possible.
At the same time, the evaluation gave us a clearer picture of where we need to grow. Many of our graduates continue to carry deep trauma from their past, reminding us that healing is often a lifelong journey. We also saw opportunities to strengthen our relationships with graduates after they leave Micah so they remain connected to the community that helped shape them. These findings are helping guide how we invest in the future, building on what is working while continuing to grow in the areas where our graduates need us most.
Our Reflection on the Findings
