Attribution and Contribution
This paper clearly explains the concepts of attribution and contribution and outlines methods for assessing them. Attribution is commonly understood as identifying changes that were directly caused by a specific program or organization. Contribution , in contrast, is more loosely defined and refers to situations where an intervention is one of several factors that helped bring about a change. As outcomes become more distant from immediate outputs and harder to measure, assessing contribution becomes increasingly difficult. This is particularly evident in complex programs such as governance, climate change, or social change, where multiple actors are involved and interventions may span many years or even decades. Organizations may be able to demonstrate their contribution to short-term changes that are closely linked to their activities. However, determining their role in longer-term change is often much more challenging. Li...