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Data in the social sector is a complex landscape, and not always a harmonious one. Both funders and nonprofits are driven to create meaningful change, and many recognize the need for data to guide their efforts, demonstrate results, and adapt to evolving needs. But there’s a disconnect. Often the data a funder needs differs from the data a nonprofit needs.

What’s fueling this disconnect?

For foundations:

• Lack of internal clarity: Teams and staff are unclear on the organization’s goals, and what grantmaking strategies and practices are essential to achieving those goals.

• Lack of a structured evaluation and learning framework. There’s no clear implementation plan to drive a strong data learning practice within your foundation.

• Top-down approach: A decision-making process that doesn't involve input from nonprofit partners and the communities they serve.

For nonprofits:

• Burdensome data requests: You’re being requested to report on data that doesn’t provide the insights and learnings that you can use to improve your programs and services.

• Lack of capacity: Your teams and staff don’t have the skills and experience to use data to the full extent you know is possible.

• Lack of data systems and processes: You don’t have the plans to collect the right data (data that’s drives learning and action) and the internal processes and responsibilities to carry out those plans.

As a result, funders are left wondering how their investments are driving positive change, and nonprofits are left with the barrage of external requests to demonstrate their impact that are more abstractive than additive.

This is the status quo, and it’s broken.  

Fixing it will require a shift in the role funders play. A shift where funders are creating the infrastructure to support nonprofit data needs. Where reporting requirements provide data that's meaningful to both the funders and nonprofits, where funders have a clear strategy that’s informed by their nonprofit partners, and where funders are investing in building their nonprofit partners' data capacity that's centered on the nonprofits' needs.

Founder & CEO

P.S. We have a Data for Impact Capacity Building Cohort if you’re a funder looking to strengthen your grantmaking strategy, learning and evaluation approach, while also building the capacity of your nonprofit partners. Learn more here.

October Resources

READING

• Collective Impact: SSIR case study that examines the shift from individual organization interventions to collaborative efforts for collective impact, along with the five essential conditions for success.

• Measurement Wisdom for Nonprofits from Bill Gates: Reflections from Beth Kanter on Bill Gates' Annual Letter on why measurement matters, and why dynamics between funders and nonprofits make it hard to implement.

• Room for Improvement: Foundations’ Support of Nonprofit Performance Assessment: A research study on issues nonprofits face in performance measurement, and where there’s room for improvement for funders

• How Can We Embrace a Learning for Improvement Mindset? The conversations funders can have to create a space to reflect and learn so that nonprofits, grantees and partners can become more relevant, and more effective in achieving collective goals.

  
  

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Live Webinar: Data to Action: Making Data Visual and Useful - Learn how to make data visualization your nonprofit's superpower. Join us with Amelia Kohm, Founder of Data Viz for Nonprofits. No cost to attend. 

• Data for Impact Capacity Building Cohort - Help build capacity for meaningful data and evaluation with the organizations you fund. Our cohorts are led by evaluation experts with support customized to the uniqueness of each organization’s services and the stage of development in their data practice.

• 2024 Impact Accelerator Waitlist is Open! Impact Accelerator is a 7-12 month program for nonprofits who want to build a solid foundation for their organization’s data practices, and equip their team with the skills, tools and processes to carry it forward. Learn more and join the waitlist.
• Impact Collective Info Session - learn more about ResultsLab's online community of changemakers that are ready to do more with data. Hear how our online course, learning deep dives, and data mastermind groups are helping nonprofit evaluators and data professionals strengthen their networks and organizational data practices.
  • October 11 at 1pm (MT).
  • No cost to attend.

LET'S CONNECT

If you would like to contribute to content or would like us to include your resources in the future, please reach out to info@resultslab.com and we will connect with you!

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ResultsLab is a woman-owned social enterprise that propels organizations, communities, and networks to the next level of impact through quality design and effective use of data. We are reinventing impact management by providing strategic design and capacity building for data informed decision-making to organizations and networks that exist to drive change for our communities.