Third Party Funds Group - Sub project
Acronym: PILLARS
Start date : 01.01.2025
End date : 31.12.2027
Website: https://www.pillars-project.net/
PILLARS is a comprehensive project dedicated to empowering “impact managers” – professionals who drive sustainable impact in organizations – by equipping them with the requisite skills, tools, training, and community support. Recognizing impact management as an emerging profession lacking formal structure, defined skillsets, and supporting resources.
PILLARS aims to fill this gap through a multi-faceted approach. Its key objectives include developing a competence framework that clearly defines the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors required of impact managers, thereby providing a formal career path for this role. This framework serves as the methodological foundation for professionalizing the impact manager’s role and guides all other project components.
Building on this foundation, PILLARS is creating digital tools to translate the framework into practice. Co-created with stakeholders, these tools (including mobile applications) are designed to implement both the competence framework and new impact measurement frameworks. They will enable real-time capture of impact data and aggregation of inputs from all relevant stakeholders, allowing impact managers to monitor and share outcomes dynamically. This “toolkit” not only facilitates data-driven decision-making but also fosters broader engagement by scaling insights with and by all parties involved in an initiative
In addition, PILLARS is establishing a community of practice as a peer-learning platform for impact managers. This community will enable practitioners to educate and support one another by exchanging insights, experiences, and knowledge
Finally, the project will culminate in an e-book that consolidates insights and learnings into an actionable resource. This e-book will feature compelling storytelling case studies and interactive story-building scenarios that illustrate real-world impact management challenges and solutions
Expected Outcomes and Impact: Through these integrated components, the PILLARS project will formally establish the role of impact managers and significantly enhance their capacity to drive positive change. The competence framework and micro-credential create a clear professional pathway, legitimizing impact management as a career. The digital tools and training improve the efficiency and accuracy of measuring and achieving impact, while the community of practice ensures ongoing knowledge exchange and support. The e-book and its strategic roadmap will disseminate the project’s methodology and success stories, inspiring broader adoption of impact-oriented practices. By equipping impact managers with structured skills, real-time tools, accredited training, and a collaborative network, PILLARS cultivates a robust “impact mindset” that empowers these professionals to complement entrepreneurial initiatives with social and environmental value. In essence, the project’s holistic approach enables impact managers to drive meaningful, sustainable change within their organizations and communities, ultimately contributing to a more innovative and sustainable economy
PILLARS is a comprehensive project dedicated to empowering “impact managers” – professionals who drive sustainable impact in organizations – by equipping them with the requisite skills, tools, training, and community support. Recognizing impact management as an emerging profession lacking formal structure, defined skillsets, and supporting resources, PILLARS aims to fill this gap through a multi-faceted approach. Its key objectives include developing a competence framework that clearly defines the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors required of impact managers, thereby providing a formal career path for this role. This framework serves as the methodological foundation for professionalizing the impact manager’s role and guides all other project components.
Building on this foundation, PILLARS is creating digital tools to translate the framework into practice. Co-created with stakeholders, these tools (including mobile applications) are designed to implement both the competence framework and new impact measurement frameworks. They will enable real-time capture of impact data and aggregation of inputs from all relevant stakeholders, allowing impact managers to monitor and share outcomes dynamically. This “toolkit” not only facilitates data-driven decision-making but also fosters broader engagement by scaling insights with and by all parties involved in an initiative.
To ensure impact managers are properly trained to use these tools and apply the framework, PILLARS introduces a micro-credential skills course. This course is tailored to the competencies of impact management and aligned with European and international standards – including the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the ESCO classification, EQAVET quality standards, Europass credential format, as well as the EntreComp and DigComp frameworks. By aligning with these frameworks, the course ensures high-quality, transferable training that formally recognizes impact management skills. The micro-credential will provide impact managers with a portable qualification, reinforcing their professional development and validating their expertise in driving meaningful impact.
In addition, PILLARS is establishing a community of practice as a peer-learning platform for impact managers. This community will enable practitioners to educate and support one another by exchanging insights, experiences, and knowledge.
Through regular interactions, knowledge-sharing events, and collaborative problem-solving, the community of practice will foster continuous learning and refinement of best practices. It is expected to build a supportive network that breaks the isolation often felt in this emerging field and encourages collective growth. Such peer engagement not only helps individuals stay updated on the latest impact management techniques but also cultivates an “impact culture” across organizations and sectors.
Finally, the project will culminate in an e-book that consolidates insights and learnings into an actionable resource. This e-book will feature compelling storytelling case studies and interactive story-building scenarios that illustrate real-world impact management challenges and solutions
. In weaving together narratives of “practice as it is” and visions of “practices to be,” the e-book will present a strategic roadmap for impact management
. This roadmap distills the project’s findings into guidelines and step-by-step strategies for making impact-driven decisions. It will serve as a lasting reference for impact managers and organizations, guiding them in implementing effective impact practices and scaling them for greater sustainability.
Expected Outcomes and Impact: Through these integrated components, the PILLARS project will formally establish the role of impact managers and significantly enhance their capacity to drive positive change. The competence framework and micro-credential create a clear professional pathway, legitimizing impact management as a career. The digital tools and training improve the efficiency and accuracy of measuring and achieving impact, while the community of practice ensures ongoing knowledge exchange and support. The e-book and its strategic roadmap will disseminate the project’s methodology and success stories, inspiring broader adoption of impact-oriented practices. By equipping impact managers with structured skills, real-time tools, accredited training, and a collaborative network, PILLARS cultivates a robust “impact mindset”
that empowers these professionals to complement entrepreneurial initiatives with social and environmental value. In essence, the project’s holistic approach enables impact managers to drive meaningful, sustainable change within their organizations and communities, ultimately contributing to a more innovative and sustainable economy