Five takeaways from 2023

Originally published December 2023

Whether you’re ending your year more inspired than ever…or skidding across the finish line, this is the perfect moment to reflect on and learn from the past year. Here are some of our lessons learned and what we’re doing about it.

It’s more important that your messaging connects with people than to include a bunch of numbers.

💡 I’ve spent enough time in boardrooms and strategic planning retreats to know that the best strategies are based on robust market research that understands broad trends and emerging needs among those you serve. But just because your strategy is data-informed doesn’t mean your messaging needs to be overwhelmingly data-centric — it doesn’t actually need to include any numbers at all! I think this comes from an urge to prove that you did the work. But if your messaging is clear and connects with your audience, that’s all the evidence you need.

🚀 Recently, we’re finding ourselves working with a lot more marketing and communications teams, and it’s so much fun!

Strategic data initiatives give you a competitive advantage.

💡 Whether you’re educating an audience on an issue (like Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies), advocating for specific policy change (like AWBI), or informing program and funding strategies (like United Way), a strategic data project can position you as a thought leader. While data projects often feel overwhelming or distracting, a thoughtful initiative that’s aligned to your mission and goals can elevate your organization’s brand awareness, credibility, and fundraising.

🚀 Have an idea but don’t have the expertise or capacity? We can help!

Do whatever it takes to make data more human.

💡 In the summer of 2020, the demand for data and equity skyrocketed — and it never went away. And while traditional public data sources go a long way to make sense of the complex systems around us, it isn’t enough. The questions that leaders like you have asked most over the past couple years require real-time insights about how local people are feeling. So we’ve entirely restructured our operation and deepened our collaborations to make that happen.

🚀 This journey has led to a new initiative in partnership with Atlanta Civic Circle. Atlanta POV captures the priorities, opinions, and values of thousands of Metro residents that we can use to help leaders frame local issues and design the best solutions. (More to come, but please sign up and share with your networks!)

We have to build a bridge between nonprofit practitioners and data technicians.

💡 It’s an essential bridge that needs to be built from both sides. We need to cast a clear vision for nonprofits and social impact leaders to know what data and tech can get them, how to procure those skills, and how to know when they’re successful. And we need to provide issue education and experiences to data pros, so that we’re actually addressing systemic issues rather than limiting ourselves to surface-level hackathons.

🚀 This year, we’ll be focused on growing a cross-sector community, bringing data and nonprofit professionals into the same spaces to build relationships and learn from one another — our sector desperately needs this and we hope you’ll join us!

Beyond democratizing data, it must be actionable and engaging.

💡 Look, I know most people only go to our website because their boss or board told them to find some data. We’ve been democratizing data by making it more accessible for well over a decade. But just because it exists, doesn’t mean busy leaders like you will find the time to explore an overwhelming amount of data to make critical decisions. I don’t believe organizations will use data to the level they want or need to until we can make it more directly actionable. And if we can make our website and tools engaging, maybe nonprofit pros will want to be there. What if data was fun?

🚀 Over the next year, you’ll see us overhaul our website and socials. And you’ll see a few more tools that are more focused on “just the insights” (like the Data Wall prototype below).

What are your lessons learned from 2023? What trends are you seeing? And what are you going to do about it in 2024?

✌️ See ya next year!