From UpMetrics:
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As many race to put 2020 in the past, we're taking a moment to reflect on 5 trends that developed in the unique environment that this year provided.
Impact organizations took on a leadership role in their communities when it was desperately needed, and we saw the social sector utilize data in new and effective ways as they looked for solutions to unprecedented issues. We want to celebrate everything that was accomplished in 2020 - and are excited to see these themes continue to drive impact in 2021. |
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1. Context.
Understanding each social good organization's impact in 2020 - including their progress toward goals and measurable impact - is going to require a lot of context. Numbers alone won't provide the detail needed on why schools needed to pivot to virtual learning, or why a sports foundation pivoted to fund new areas like hunger or homelessness. As impact organizations collect and rely more and more on data, the need for further clarity and context will be crucial. Reports that combine quantitative and qualitative information will be the foundation of long-term growth, building programs rooted in contextual information that can inform and guide future decision-making.
Featured Partners: Ford Foundation, Beyond Sports Foundation
Understanding each social good organization's impact in 2020 - including their progress toward goals and measurable impact - is going to require a lot of context. Numbers alone won't provide the detail needed on why schools needed to pivot to virtual learning, or why a sports foundation pivoted to fund new areas like hunger or homelessness. As impact organizations collect and rely more and more on data, the need for further clarity and context will be crucial. Reports that combine quantitative and qualitative information will be the foundation of long-term growth, building programs rooted in contextual information that can inform and guide future decision-making.
Featured Partners: Ford Foundation, Beyond Sports Foundation
2. Data-Driven Collaboration.
Data can and should be utilized as a tool to drive collaboration, encouraging transparency across stakeholders. When faced with massive challenges, organizations turned to collective impact efforts in 2020. Increased knowledge across stakeholders can result in accelerated progress toward outcomes. The sharing of data opens the door to overall program optimizations and answers questions around overall impact. The result of this open collaboration is that impact organizations receive the resources needed to achieve their goals.
Featured Partners: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Foglia Foundation, Fight for Children
Data can and should be utilized as a tool to drive collaboration, encouraging transparency across stakeholders. When faced with massive challenges, organizations turned to collective impact efforts in 2020. Increased knowledge across stakeholders can result in accelerated progress toward outcomes. The sharing of data opens the door to overall program optimizations and answers questions around overall impact. The result of this open collaboration is that impact organizations receive the resources needed to achieve their goals.
Featured Partners: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Foglia Foundation, Fight for Children
3. Taking the Lead and Learning as We Go
In a year of unknowns, impact organizations led in their communities, holding themselves accountable to identify solutions to new problems and continuously optimizing those solutions as data becomes more available. A good idea in times of uncertainty, when your organization is beginning a new program or unexpected if events like a pandemic or historic wildfires impact your area, is to set smaller goals that bubble up to the desired outcome that you’ve identified. This allows you to pivot as you learn, and share your learnings with a greater population who may also be looking for direction.
Featured Partners: De La Salle High School, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Atlanta Braves Foundation
In a year of unknowns, impact organizations led in their communities, holding themselves accountable to identify solutions to new problems and continuously optimizing those solutions as data becomes more available. A good idea in times of uncertainty, when your organization is beginning a new program or unexpected if events like a pandemic or historic wildfires impact your area, is to set smaller goals that bubble up to the desired outcome that you’ve identified. This allows you to pivot as you learn, and share your learnings with a greater population who may also be looking for direction.
Featured Partners: De La Salle High School, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Atlanta Braves Foundation
4. Committing to DEI Metrics.
We have seen significant efforts from virtually every sector, as companies commit to be a part of the solution and tackle diversity, equity, and inclusion in a more deliberate and comprehensive way. The social sector has been a leader in this issue area for some time, but this year has shown a concerted effort unlike anything we have seen before as existing players take a larger role or offer a new approach to tackle these long-standing issues. We expect the social sector to build on the new momentum that has been created in 2020 in the form of a commitment to track diversity metrics with intentionality, practice transparency as it relates to sharing progress towards goals, and use information to collaborate and learn to drive positive change in this important issue area.
Featured Partners: Siebert Williams Shank, Camelback Ventures, Enterprise for Youth
We have seen significant efforts from virtually every sector, as companies commit to be a part of the solution and tackle diversity, equity, and inclusion in a more deliberate and comprehensive way. The social sector has been a leader in this issue area for some time, but this year has shown a concerted effort unlike anything we have seen before as existing players take a larger role or offer a new approach to tackle these long-standing issues. We expect the social sector to build on the new momentum that has been created in 2020 in the form of a commitment to track diversity metrics with intentionality, practice transparency as it relates to sharing progress towards goals, and use information to collaborate and learn to drive positive change in this important issue area.
Featured Partners: Siebert Williams Shank, Camelback Ventures, Enterprise for Youth
5. Data Personalization.
This year demanded that impact organizations take an active stance to collecting and analyzing data, pivoting as events trigger unexpected areas of need or when data has identified areas of optimization for existing programs. As we look to next year, this increase in information collection will lead to new opportunities for data personalization. Reporting and analytics tools have unlocked new opportunities for impact organizations collect information from numerous sources and translate that data into visualizations that provide insight into new opportunities and areas of need. These visualizations have also provided new levels of insights into public data and behavior of donors and constituents. The digital transformation of data reporting and analytics powered by these tools will lead to more intentional communications and funding efforts.
Featured Partners: Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Ravenswood Education Foundation
This year demanded that impact organizations take an active stance to collecting and analyzing data, pivoting as events trigger unexpected areas of need or when data has identified areas of optimization for existing programs. As we look to next year, this increase in information collection will lead to new opportunities for data personalization. Reporting and analytics tools have unlocked new opportunities for impact organizations collect information from numerous sources and translate that data into visualizations that provide insight into new opportunities and areas of need. These visualizations have also provided new levels of insights into public data and behavior of donors and constituents. The digital transformation of data reporting and analytics powered by these tools will lead to more intentional communications and funding efforts.
Featured Partners: Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Ravenswood Education Foundation
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