3 steps for turning data into action

Obtaining funding is increasingly dependent on how nonprofits and social enterprises are measuring their impact — and what they do with all that data.

The New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Awards has a few pointers for turning data into action. (H/t to the good folks over at local nonprofit Tech Impact for republishing the tips, originally penned by New York University professor Patrick Germain, on their blog).

Germain breaks it down into three steps:

1. Turn your raw data into digestible information.
2. Workshop that information within your organization.
3. Use the feedback to inform practice.

It may seem obvious, but the article provides a number of free resources to help social entrepreneurs get a head start on collecting and using data. As Germain writes, hoarding unused data is kind of like storing money under a bed.

“Sure you are saving money,” the blog reads. “But you are missing out on much better ways of accomplishing your financial goals.”