Why is Data Important: Non-Profit 101
Melanie Luu
Have you ever looked at a spreadsheet and catch yourself thinking “…what in the world am I looking at?” or “what is the point of all this data and metrics spread across my dashboard?”.
Over the years “big data” has become a vital part of organizations from both the corporate to non-profit sectors. Before we begin dissecting why data is important in NFP/NGO, let’s do a data 101 crash course, shall we?…
Big data is essentially a collection of information created by the action we make as consumers. The data which then leads to a bigger picture on how to better market your organization, from understanding the behaviour of your target audience to analyzing the organization’s ROI.
Truth be told, analyzing data and metrics may seem tedious at a glance, but if you take a closer look into the numbers, these numbers can either make or break a NFP/NGO.
Now that we have a general idea about big data, let’s talk about the benefits it can bring to the non-profit world.
Funding and ROI
Consistent funding from philanthropists, community investment and grants is what keeps a NFP/NGO functioning like a well greased machine. Grant givers love to see the gradual growth in numbers during the review process; this is when data will work to your advantage because it will determine where their money goes and the cause it will be supporting.
With that being said, this is not simply just a numbers game because the data provides insight on their investment. Federal grant makers and outcome focused philanthropists support certain organizations because they want to be a part of social change; by providing the proper data to key funders it creates more confidence to support your cause.
Measure, Set, ACTION!
Now that you have completed the first step compiling the data, the next step is to break down the information and measure the success through a thorough analysis.
Unfortunately most NFP/NGOs operate between modest to non-existent budgets, which make it even harder to attain information with proper analysis.
Luckily Data for Good provide their expertise free of charge by organizing and hosting DataThon events in Calgary.
Data for Good was originally inspired by DataKind.org, an initiative stride to promote positive social change through technological innovation. Once or twice a year, the group gathers some of the most talented ‘Data Scientists’ to help source this data for NFP/NGOs in the social innovation sector. Like a blind date the volunteer is paired with a social organization; through a detailed conversation to define their data problems, the Data Scientist start dissecting these pain points over a 24–48 hour period.
These events are completely free and participants are fuelled with food and refreshments in return for their service. The essential mission to why Data for Good started this movement is to energize and educate NFP/NGO organizations, shedding light on social innovation by using the power of big data!
Whether you are dealing with “big data” issues or small issues with data, organizations run into obstacles as they strive for achievement. If you seek to up your data game, try joining one of Data for Good’s MeetUp events, or better yet — join Chic Geek’s upcoming ‘MeetnTech’ event, and hear Data for Good Founder, Geoff Zakaib give his thoughts on the subject!
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