In 2013, MDIF clients provided news and information to over 55.2 million people in countries where access to free and independent media is under threat, while generating a combined $107.4 million in sales.

The Impact Dashboard 2014 found that after five years of working with MDIF, client businesses grew their reach by a median of 33% and their sales by 115%.

It also found that clients ranging from local news websites to national broadcasters had a profound impact on their societies through reporting on corruption and government accountability. Across our portfolio, in 2013 87% of clients exposed corruption scandals in their country and 89% held government leaders accountable for their policy promises.

View our interactive Impact Dashboard presentation here or read the full publication here. Key findings by impact area include:

Reach

• After five years of working with MDIF, client reach increased by a median of 33% (on average 136%)
• From 2012 to 2013, total digital reach increased by 35% across the portfolio while total traditional reach decreased by 3%

Sales

• After five years of working with MDIF, client sales increased by a median of 115% (on average 228%)
• Clients averaged 25% annualized growth in sales during their first five years of involvement with MDIF

Viability

• At the end of 2013, the median risk rating across the portfolio was 5.22, indicating an overall moderate level of risk
• At the end of 2013, 42% of clients were rated low risk, 45% were rate moderate risk and 13% where rate high risk, according to MDIF’s audited risk-rating scale

Client Impacts on Society

• In 2013, 87% of our clients reported on corruption scandals in their country
• In 2013, 89% of our clients held their governments accountable for their policy promises

Read a review of the Impact Dashboard by CIMA’s Senior Director Mark Nelson here.