Fierce Certified Scoring

• 50 points - Has Ultimate Outcome Goal(s) As It's Primary Target
• 10 points - Measures Intermediate Outcomes
• 15 points - Measures Ultimate Outcomes
• 25 points - Shows Continual Learning & Adaptation
• 10 points - Measures Intermediate Counterfactuals
• 10 points - Measures Ultimate Counterfactuals

As mentioned earlier, a Fierce Certification score has a base of 100 points, distributed across the six criteria. An organization that scores 90 or above has met the full Fierce standard: genuine thriving, wellbeing, and quality-of-life goals; intermediate and ultimate outcome measurement; evidence of continual learning and adaptation.

We deliberately set the maximum possible score at 120 rather than 100. The extra 20 points, 10 each for intermediate and ultimate counterfactual evidence, are available as a kind of extra credit, not because counterfactual evidence is optional but because it is often undertaken after mastering the measurement of outcomes. 

Partial Credit and the Honest Gradations of Evidence

Not every criterion is binary. On several criteria, organizations can receive partial credit that reflects the genuine state of their evidence: stronger than nothing, but not yet at the full standard. An organization that has identified clear ultimate quality-of-life goals but has not yet operationalized them as measurable targets receives partial credit on Criterion 1. An organization that has direct evidence of ultimate outcomes but only for a subset of its participant population receives partial credit on Criterion 3.

These partial credit awards are important signals to funders. A certification summary that shows 25/50 on ultimate quality-of-life goals tells you something very different from 0/50: this organization understands the concept, has made some progress, but has not completed the journey. A 5/10 on counterfactual evidence at the ultimate outcome level tells you an organization has begun building the evidence base but has not reached the full rigorous standard. These gradations are more informative than a simple certified or not certified designation.

The honest gradation of evidence is also important because it helps funders match their giving to their confidence level. Some funders are comfortable making larger bets on organizations at 90/100 that are clearly moving in the right direction. Others want the full 100+ before committing significant resources. The Fierce Certified Marketplace supports both orientations by showing the full score breakdown, not just a pass or fail.

How to Interpret a Certification Score

A score of 120/100 means the organization meets the full Fierce standard plus has rigorous counterfactual evidence on both intermediate and ultimate outcomes. This is a strong, confident recommendation. 

A score of 90-105 indicates an organization with genuine ultimate quality-of-life goals, strong direct evidence on both intermediate and ultimate outcomes, and a demonstrated feedback loop, but with limited counterfactual evidence at one or both levels. Still a strong recommendation, but with an honest note about the evidence gap.

A score below 90 indicates an organization that has not yet demonstrated the foundational commitment to change-in-life accountability that the Fierce standard requires. These organizations can be worth supporting if they are committed to closing those gaps and if you are comfortable with the level of evidence uncertainty the score reflects.

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