Measurement has always been an important part of our work.
We tracked devices distributed, residents served, classes delivered, partnerships formed, and programs launched.
Those numbers matter. But over time, we learned that activity alone does not tell the full story.
- A device distributed is important.
- A resident gaining confidence to navigate online services is transformational.
- A class completed is valuable.
A person using those skills to achieve their goals is the real measure of success.
As our work evolved, so did our understanding of impact. We began asking different questions.
Not simply: How many people did we reach?
But: What changed because we reached them?
How We Learned It
As we listened to community members and partners, we heard stories that extended far beyond program participation.
We heard about job applications submitted online for the first time, older adults reconnecting with family members, community members accessing healthcare resources more confidently, and people navigating services that had once felt out of reach.
Some of the most meaningful examples came when people and organizations began creating new opportunities for others.
For years, Eric Franzen has served as a Resident Community Council member and partner in CDE’s work. This year, through his Rotary Club in Huntersville, he helped launch a community initiative providing refurbished laptops and digital skills classes to local residents.
What began as participation in the digital opportunity ecosystem grew into community leadership—creating new pathways to access, learning, and support for others.
Eric’s story reinforced an important truth: the greatest measure of success is not simply helping one person. It is helping build the capacity for communities to create opportunity for themselves.
Technology itself is rarely the destination.
Opportunity is.
Today, we continue to measure outputs, but we are increasingly focused on the outcomes that matter most: confidence gained, barriers removed, stronger organizations, and communities equipped to create lasting opportunity for others.
