Socio-environmental impact evaluation is a process that measures the real changes generated by social projects and programs. Instituto SER uses Theory of Change as its core methodology: the desired long-term impact is defined, the necessary conditions are mapped, activities are identified, and monitoring indicators are created. With more than 20 years of experience and a track record of evaluating projects for organizations such as Fundo Brasil de Direitos Humanos, Fundo Casa Socioambiental, and GIZ (German Cooperation), SER offers specialized consulting for foundations, companies, and civil society organizations that need to demonstrate the social return on their investments.

Institutional strengthening is the set of actions that improve the management, governance, and sustainability capacity of community-based organizations — NGOs, associations, collectives, and social movements. This includes support in financial and administrative management, project development, accountability, and strategic planning. Instituto SER works directly with organizations in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, having strengthened more than 100 organizations and enterprises, including Indigenous and Quilombola groups. For foundations and private companies that want to support networks of local organizations in a structured way, SER offers technical consulting and workshop facilitation.

Companies that invest in social, environmental, or creative economy programs need robust methodologies to communicate and demonstrate their results. Instituto SER develops positive socio-environmental impact solutions for businesses and private organizations, including evidence-based monitoring and evaluation. Its experience includes projects with companies such as Ambev (the BORA Ambulantes program), MRV, Fundação Telefônica Vivo, and Band Nordeste. In addition to monitoring, SER supports the development of impact narratives and accountability reports for shareholders, consumers, and strategic partners.

Instituto SER is a third-sector organization based in Salvador, Bahia, with more than 20 years of experience across Brazil’s North and Northeast regions, as well as a national presence. Its team brings experience and insight from community, corporate, and public-sector perspectives, enabling the co-creation of tailored solutions. Its portfolio includes projects with quilombola communities, Indigenous peoples of the Amazon (APIAM, Univaja), populations from Bahia’s semi-arid hinterland, urban street vendors, and waste pickers. For foundations and institutes that fund projects in these regions, SER can serve as a technical field partner, supporting and evaluating local initiatives.

Theory of Change (ToC) is one of the most widely used methodologies by international and national foundations to structure, monitor, and evaluate social programs. It starts with the desired long-term impact and maps the entire results chain—activities, outputs, intermediate outcomes, and systemic changes—with verifiable indicators at each stage. Instituto SER has proven experience applying this methodology, having developed Theories of Change and conducted impact evaluations for Fundo Brasil de Direitos Humanos, Fundo Casa Socioambiental, Fundação Toyota, and others. Foundations that fund multiple projects can hire SER to standardize evaluation frameworks and consolidate learnings across grantees.