To measure the impact of Earth Commons’ projects, we employ a multifaceted approach that incorporates quantitative and qualitative metrics to capture the broad scope of our activities and their effects on climate action. Here are the specific methodologies we use:


1. Participation at Conferences, Hackathons, and Residencies:
We track the number of participants at each event, to gauge engagement and outreach. Attendance numbers are broken down by demographics (such as academia, industry, non-profits) to understand the diversity of engagement and to tailor future events for maximum impact.


2. Grants and Prize Funding Distributed:


We monitor the amount of funding distributed to climate builders through our initiatives, including hackathons and residencies. The total funding amount is recorded along with the number of projects funded and their respective categories (e.g., renewable energy, carbon accounting).
We assess the progress of funded projects at subsequent milestones, checking for their developmental advances and real-world applications of their solutions. Success stories and testimonials from grant recipients are gathered to qualitatively enhance the impact reporting.


3. Number of New Projects Emerging from Hackathons and Residencies:


We track the total number of new projects developed during each hackathon and residency. This metric helps gauge the effectiveness of these events in fostering innovation and generating viable climate solutions.
Each project is categorized by its focus area (e.g., renewable energy, carbon accounting), allowing for targeted analysis of our impact across different sectors of climate action.


4. Funding Received by Projects Emerging from Earth Commons Initiatives:


We monitor the total amount of external funding received by the projects that are initiated during our events. This includes follow-on investments, grants, and other financial supports that help these projects scale and implement their solutions.


5. Use of Projects, as Measured by Open Source Observer:


To assess the adoption and utilization of projects developed through our hackathons and residencies, we track usage metrics via platforms like Open Source Observer. This includes data on downloads, active deployments, and contributions to the project repositories.


6. Infrastructure that Offsets Carbon Emissions:


In collaboration with our partners [Relay Help](https://www.relayhelp.world/), we track the implementation of infrastructure projects that are designed to offset carbon emissions in vulnerable communities worldwide.
Metrics include the type of infrastructure installed (e.g., solar panels, wind turbines), and the number of people directly benefiting from the infrastructure.
We conduct follow-up assessments to evaluate the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of these projects.
