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About GO Lab

The basics

New to outcomes-based contracting? Here are some jargon-free introductions to the various types of approaches

Outcomes-based contracting

This guide offers an introduction to outcomes-based contracting, including its place among other methods of contracting out public services, the theoretical pros and cons, and the evidence to date.

New to impact bonds? This user-friendly guide will explore what impact bonds are, the evidence to date and how they work in practice in different countries around the world.

Relational contracting

This guide provides an introduction to relational contracting in the public sector, explaining what it is, the potential benefits and challenges, and how to adopt a relational approach.

This guide introduces outcomes funds. It aims to document and describe outcomes funds around the world and identify lessons for future fund design.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Knowledge bank

Explore our datasets, case studies and publications to learn more about the latest research on outcomes-based contracting

We are the International Network for Data on Impact and Government Outcomes (INDIGO). Here you can explore our datasets, read our latest news, join our events and find out more about data sharing in the field of social outcomes.

A collection of in-depth case studies of impact bonds around the world

Publications library

View the latest reports, evaluations and more on outcomes-based contracting

A glossary of key terms and working definitions around impact bonds and outcomes-based contracting

Toolkit

Interested in designing and managing outcomes-based projects? We have prepared some tools and guidance to help

Impact bond lifecycle

Developed in consultation with a wide range of practitioners to support projects being established under the UK Government’s Life Chances Fund.

Technical guidance

We have a range of guidance to support you develop impact bonds, from setting and measuring outcomes, to awarding the contract and pricing outcomes.

GO Lab-CIPFA Value for Money (VfM) Toolkit

We've partnered with Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy(CIPFA) to develop a toolkit for public managers planning to assess VfM of outcomes-based contracting programmes, or any public programme with an outcome-focus.

Impact Wayfinder [Prototype]

Are you thinking of running an impact evaluation for your project? Check out our new Impact Wayfinder! We'll help you find the right evaluation for you according to the focus of your organisation and the scale of your project.

Mission-led Growth Dashboard

This innovative dashboard benchmarks performance data for each council in England with its Nearest Neighbour, the median of all local authorities in England and the average of the selected authority’s ten Nearest Neighbours.

Formal-relational contracting playbook

Helping commissioners and providers to take a formal-relational approach to delivering complex public services.

Community

Connect with others through our global directory, read the latest blogs, join our events and more.

Oxford Government Outcomes Blog

Read the latest opinion and insights from the GO Lab network

Find out the latest news from the GO Lab and across the sector

Join our events, from webinars, regional events to international conferences

Peer Learning Groups

At the GO Lab, we host a selection of peer learning groups that aim to support learning and knowledge on outcome-based approaches. Read more on our different groups and upcoming sessions here.

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Resource library

Want to keep up-to-date on the latest news and events in the field?

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Featured publication

Report | 5 Mar 2026

Transforming public services: Key findings from the evaluation of the Life Chances Fund

This report synthesises the extensive evidence generated through the evaluation of the Life Chances Fund

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Report | 5 Mar 2026

Achieving outcomes: Life Chances Fund final report

This is the final report in the Life Chances Fund evaluation series. It focuses on the final outcomes achieved by the 29 Life Chances Fund projects

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Evaluation Report | 22 Sep 2025

Promoting Independence: Final Evaluation Report

This report presents the final findings of an independent evaluation of the Promoting Independence programme (PI).

Evaluation Report | 13 Aug 2025

Labour Market Evaluation Pilot Fund: Understanding the effects of person-centred service reforms in housing support

This report presents new evidence from the Labour Market Evaluation Pilot, comparing the Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership’s outcomes-based housing support with a traditional fee-for-service model

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Evaluation Report | 7 Jul 2025

The Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership: The final report of a longitudinal evaluation of a Life Chances Fund outcomes partnership

This is the final report of a five-year study investigating how using a social outcomes partnership influenced the management approaches and practices of the Council, providers and frontline service delivery in the Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

We coordinate a range of geographical and thematically focused peer learning groups which enable people to learn from each other.

Peer learning groups

Join us

Evaluation Report | 7 Jul 2025

The Mental Health and Employment Partnership: The final evaluation of the Life Chances Fund outcomes partnerships

This is the final report of a five-year research study investigating the effectiveness of social outcomes partnerships as a commissioning tool to improve social outcomes for citizens.

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Evaluation Report | 7 Jul 2025

Life Chance Fund final evaluation: Data release

This report is the third of three reports from the LCF Primary Evaluation which seeks to provide descriptive information on all projects established from the LCF through a longitudinal survey.

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Report | 27 Jun 2025

Outcomes-Based Financing in the New Financing for Development Architecture

Through a comparative review of the experiences of 14 national governments and international development institutions, the study identifies enabling factors for successful OBF implementation and addresses common challenges in OBF adoption

Organisation: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Report | 18 Jun 2025

Where to next for Outcomes-Based Financing in ECCE

This document is a synthesis of the discussion and insights that came out of the 4th Knowledge Exchange session on Outcomes-Based Financing for Early Childhood Care and Education

Organisations: The Government Outcomes Lab, NORRAG, the Global Education Centre of the Geneva Graduate Institute, The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF)

We have a range of guidance to support you develop impact bonds, from setting and measuring outcomes, to awarding the contract and pricing outcomes.

Technical guidance

Read more

Report | 12 Jun 2025

Transforming Economic Inclusion: Government Innovations through Outcomes-Based Financing

This paper, by Mara Airoldi, Celeste Brubaker, Sebastian Osorio, and Juliana Outes Velarde, offers a practical framework for understanding OBF and its application to economic inclusion programs

Organisations: The Government Outcomes Lab, Instiglio, Village Enterprise

Evaluation Report | 1 May 2025

Commissioning Better Outcomes Independent Evaluation: Synthesis Report

This Synthesis Report is the final report of the evaluation of the Commissioning Better Outcomes (CBO) programme. The evaluation was undertaken by Ecorys and ATQ Consultants (ATQ).

Organisations: Ecorys, ATQ Consultants

Evaluation Report | 1 May 2025

Spring Northamptonshire Final Evaluation Report

This report represents the final analysis point of Spring, a Northamptonshire based community-driven support network that seeks to help people lead a full and meaningful life whilst managing long term health concerns.

Case Study | 22 Apr 2025

Maximising value for money: case studies on smarter public spending

Public sector organisations must rethink their approach to value for money (VfM), if they are to deliver better outcomes, finds a new report from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the GO Lab

Organisations: Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

We publish articles on a range of topics related to improving social outcomes. Give them a read and if you'd like to write about something relevant to our work, get in touch!

Read our Oxford Government Outcomes Blog

Read more

Webinar | 25 Feb 2025

Oxford POGO Club February 2025: UK Procurement Act Goes Live - Now What?

In this February 2025 session of the Oxford Procurement of Government Outcomes Club (Oxford POGO Club), we explored what the new UK Procurement Act and the very new National Procurement Policy Statement mean for public procurement in practice.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Evaluation Report | 3 Feb 2025

Evaluation of the STARS programme: Final report to the DN2 Partnership

This report is the evaluation of the STARS programme, which was jointly commissioned by the DN2 partnership of Derby City Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council

LCF project-led evaluation | 13 Jan 2025

Final Evaluation of the Skill Mill SIB

This report, authored by the Policy Evaluation & Research Unit, is the final evaluation of the Skill Mill Social Impact Bond

Organisation: Policy Evaluation & Research Unit (PERU)

Resource | 6 Jan 2025

Ways to Wellness Social Impact Bond: Final in-depth review

This report is the final review of the Ways to Wellness Social Impact Bond, produced as part of the independent Commissioning Better Outcomes Evaluation

Organisations: Ecorys, ATQ Consultants

Explore our in-depth collection of case studies on impact bonds and other outcomes-based approaches around the world.

Case studies

Explore

Evaluation Report | 6 Jan 2025

Evaluation of the Big Fostering Partnership (BFP): Final Report

This report presents the findings from an independent evaluation of the Big Fostering Partnership (BFP) project.

Webinar | 19 Nov 2024

| Engaging with Evidence | Handing over the keys – outcomes-based approaches to scaling impact through Community Based Organisations

In this session, we explored a new case study on Educate Girls' Project Maitri. We examined how the use of outcomes-based contracts enabled scaling impact through community-based organisations and offered insights on supporting locally-led development.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Resource | 11 Nov 2024

Lessons Learnt from Educate Girls’ Project Maitri

This case study, produced by Social Finance International in collaboration with Educate Girls, aims to identify key lessons learnt from Project Maitri, a pilot initiative aimed at improving girl’s education in Bihar, India.

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