Informing Change

What Informing Change does

Informing Change is an Oakland, California-based professional services consultancy that has operated since 1998 (originally as BTW informing change, rebranded in September 2013) serving values-aligned foundations, nonprofits, public agencies, and collaboratives in the social sector. The firm delivers strategic learning, evaluation, and organizational development engagements organized around three service lines — Strategy (theory of change, logic models, strategic planning, facilitation), Data/Evaluation/Learning (mixed methods evaluation, formative/developmental/summative), and Coaching (capacity building, technical assistance, learning community facilitation). A signature offering is Ripple Effect Mapping (REM), a participatory evaluation method that combines Appreciative Inquiry, outcome mapping, and qualitative analysis to visually document intended and unintended outcomes.

The firm has developed a stable of proprietary, freely distributed tools — the Data Ethics Guidebook & Toolkit (developed with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation), the Advocacy Progress Tracker, an Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool Database, the Evaluation Capacity Diagnostic Tool, and a Survey Platforms Menu — that function as both delivery aids on client projects and as thought-leadership assets. Survey data collection relies on third-party platforms (SurveyMonkey, SurveyGizmo, Qualtrics); no proprietary software product or public API exists.

The business model is project-based professional services with pricing negotiated per engagement; revenue is generated through direct relationships, referrals, and conference-driven demand (notably at the American Evaluation Association annual conference). The firm employs approximately 13–15 people across three partners (Michael P. Arnold, Gail Camacho, AnnJanette Rosga as of January 2024) plus director, associate director, senior project manager, associates, and research assistants. The clientele skews heavily toward major private foundations — including the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and California Health Care Foundation — alongside a long tail of nonprofits and a small number of public agencies. The firm is BIPOC-, queer-, female-, and immigrant-owned, and centers equity, participatory methods, and systems change in its positioning.

Name

Informing Change

Legal name

BTW Consultants, Inc.

Website

https://informingchange.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Informing Change is an Oakland-based, BIPOC-led social sector consultancy founded in 1998 that provides strategic learning, mixed-methods evaluation, and capacity-building services to foundations, nonprofits, and public agencies, using proprietary tools such as Ripple Effect Mapping and the Data Ethics Guidebook.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Sector Consulting and Evaluation Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Organization Design & Change Management Consulting (BPAHACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Change Management & Transformation Consulting (BPAHAGAC), Organization Design & Restructuring (BPACAJAB)

Keywords

• Social sector consulting
• Program evaluation
• Strategic learning
• Nonprofit advisory
• Participatory evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Learning & Evaluation Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including strategy development, evaluation (formative, developmental, summative), organizational assessments, program design, meeting facilitation, and coaching. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements with foundations, nonprofits, government agencies, and other social sector organizations.
2. Team-Based Services: Services delivered in teams including: Strategy (theory of change, logic models, strategic planning), Data/Evaluation/Learning (mixed methods evaluation), and Coaching (capacity building, technical assistance, learning community facilitation).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Informing Change is a social sector consulting firm that provides strategic learning, evaluation, and organizational development services to foundations, nonprofits, public agencies, and collaboratives. Its core offerings are organized into three service lines — Strategy (theory of change, logic models, strategic planning, program design, facilitation), Data/Evaluation/Learning (mixed-methods formative, developmental, and summative evaluation, data collection and analysis, narrative and visual reporting), and Coaching (capacity building, technical assistance, learning community facilitation). The firm supplements these services with proprietary methodologies such as Ripple Effect Mapping and downloadable tools like the Data Ethics Guidebook & Toolkit and the Advocacy Progress Tracker.

Product overview

Informing Change is a consulting firm (not a software/SaaS platform) that offers strategic learning and evaluation services to social sector organizations. The company provides a portfolio of proprietary tools and resources alongside consulting services. Key offerings include the Data Ethics Guidebook & Toolkit, the Advocacy Progress Tracker, and various assessment tools (Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool Database, Evaluation Capacity Diagnostic Tool, Survey Platforms Menu). Core consulting services include Strategy/Planning, Data/Evaluation/Learning, Coaching, and Ripple Effect Mapping methodology. The firm does not operate a unified software product but rather delivers services and downloadable resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategy Services Strategy consulting including theory of change or action development, logic models, strategic planning, organizational assessments, program and initiative design, meeting facilitation, issue area research, needs assessments, landscape analyses, systems maps, and literature reviews, delivered to foundations, nonprofits, and public agencies.
• Data, Evaluation, and Learning Services Evaluation services using mixed-methods planning and implementation (formative, developmental, and summative evaluation), including model documentation, protocol development, data collection and analyses, and narrative and visual reporting for foundations, nonprofits, and public agencies.
• Coaching Services Capacity-building services using technical assistance, participatory sensemaking, learning community facilitation, data systems improvements, and ongoing support, delivered to foundations, nonprofits, and public agencies.
• Ripple Effect Mapping (REM)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 consulting projects completed since 1998
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments13 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• David and Lucile Packard FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Packard Foundation invited Informing Change to partner in developing the Data Ethics Guidebook and Toolkit. The Foundation provided guidance through their Evaluation & Learning team and Office of the General Counsel. The Foundation's investment enabled free distribution of these resources.
• Robert Wood Johnson FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnered with Engage R+D and Informing Change to prepare 'Reimagining Learning & Evaluation: A Field Brief for Crisis and Transformation.' Also supported the publication 'Holding Relationships at the Center of Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation' in partnership with Expanding the Bench.
• Justice OutsidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Justice Outside partnered with Informing Change and Lawrence Hall of Science (UC Berkeley) to design, implement, and evaluate Working Towards Racial Equity (WTRE), a multi-year workshop series fostering inclusive, equitable, and just work environments in outdoor environmental science and education. Informing Change served as external third-party evaluator for the NSF-funded project (award 2005829).
• Lawrence Hall of Science at UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020LHS partnered with Justice Outside and Informing Change on the Working Towards Racial Equity (WTRE) project. LHS served as the program team lead and housed the research team examining individual and organizational changes. NSF award 2005829 supported this collaboration (2020-2023).
• American Evaluators AssociationmoderateOthersProfessional membership organization providing virtual and in-person spaces for evaluators to come together and learn. Informing Change staff participate in AEA events and the American Evaluation Association annual conference.
• Advancing Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation (ACE) Network by Expanding the BenchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity of diverse evaluators whose mission is to drive and support the practice of excellent, culturally responsive, and equitable evaluation. Informing Change's Michael Arnold is a member of the ACE Network and advisory group. Co-authored publication 'Holding Relationships at the Center of Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation' with Expanding the Bench.
• Racial Equity Action Institute by Northern California GrantmakersmoderateOthersSpace for leaders in philanthropy, government, and nonprofits to test and deepen racial equity, diversity, and inclusion practices. Informing Change's Michael Arnold is an alumnus of this fellowship program.
• Funder and Evaluator Affinity Network (FEAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective effort by colleagues at Engage R+D and Equal Measure to transform how funders and evaluators collaborate. Informing Change participates as an evaluator partner in this network.
• Engage R+DcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored multiple publications with Engage R+D including 'Reimagining Learning & Evaluation: A Field Brief for Crisis and Transformation' (with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), 'Rooted in Community' learning brief, and 'Holding Relationships at the Center of Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation' (with Expanding the Bench).
• Active Voice LabmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Informing Change on the Ford Foundation's JustFilms strategy evaluation (2017-2021). Active Voice Lab brought communication and media expertise to the evaluation partnership.
• UC Berkeley Centers for Education Justice & Community EngagementminorOthersThe Ohlone territories map used in Informing Change's Land Acknowledgment comes from the UC Berkeley Centers for Education Justice & Community Engagement website.
• Sogorea Te' Land TrustminorOthersInforming Change makes annual contributions to the Shuumi Land Tax, supporting the critical work of the Sogorea Te' Land Trust as part of their ongoing land acknowledgment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/informingchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/informingchange

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Informing Change