To address the roadblocks nonprofits face with regard to data—and explain how to break through—Relationship Science recently hosted a webinar with three nonprofit data experts: Kathy Howrigan, a consultant at Marts and Lundy, James Dobrzeniecki, vice president of Information Technology at Guidestar, and Velma Hutchins, senior account executive at Relationship Science.
“Nonprofits must decide how data analysis furthers specific strategic goals within the organization”
Two of the biggest big data pain points the panelists addressed were organizations’ difficulty in reporting and understanding the usefulness of data. Howrigan believes both of these problems have the same solution: nonprofits must decide how data analysis furthers specific strategic goals within the organization. “Ask yourself,” she says, “why are you doing this?” Instead of compiling data for its own sake, Howrigan says, nonprofits should focus their data science resources on solving specific problems like engagement and fundraising. To hear more on this topic as well as how to achieve institutional buy-in from executives and the link between data and relationships, watch the full webinar, “What Does Big Data Mean to Your Nonprofit: An Interactive Panel Discussion.”
