3 Steps to Power

3 Steps to Power

July 18. 2023

Maryfrances Porter

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I know – because I’ve been there with you – that measuring the goodness nonprofits put out into the world can feel cumbersome. Because nonprofits are expected to put 65% of their budget directly into service provision, there is vanishingly little for salaries (dare we dream, benefits), space, equipment, development, and impact measurement.

That’s why, this past Spring, it caught my attention when this SSRI article was published about the importance of data in the social sector.

In this world of rapidly exploding data availability, for-profits invest in collecting and using data because it maximizes profits. Because nonprofits are “selling” things that cannot be bought with money, does that mean data is any less powerful? Of course not – this is what the authors call the “data divide.”

The article points out, “Data is power. By closing the data divide, we can empower mission-driven organizations to innovate, access capital, and meet customer or beneficiary needs.”

The article goes on to say the social sector lacks widely used data platforms and consistently structured measures of impact (among other things!). Sales, budgets, donor databases… these all have a predictable shape and elements which allows data systems to be mass produced, and thus readily accessible and usable.

Nonprofit data is different. Impact data collection and analysis has to be tailored to each nonprofit and the impacts they are focused on. So, there are no plug-and-play databases that work across organizations.

And, until now, there has not been a structure and set of tools that any small- to medium-sized nonprofit could use to guide the development of surveys, databases, data analysis, and storytelling. The 3-step ImpactStory™ Strategy is exactly this. Everything you need and nothing you don’t. Straightforward. Sustainable. Within your reach.

Learn more in the ImpactStory Academy!

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Partnerships for Strategic Impact

At Partnerships for Strategic Impact^®, I have all the tools to build out the structures and strategies you need for collecting actionable impact data; I train staff in how to use them, analyze data, and make action steps for change; I teach you to tell powerful impact stories. My goal is your sustainability: I provide just the right amount of coaching and ongoing support to ensure success.

This is within reach. It’s not harder than managing your budget. Plus, you, your funders, and the people you serve deserve to know more about the value your organization delivers.

If you’re reading this, then you’re already part of my network. Schedule some time on my calendar. There’s no sales pitch and no obligation. Just curiosity and answering your questions. I am the seasoned program-evaluation, program-development, data-storytelling consultants you need, right in your back pocket. I am here to bring order to the process of figuring out how to track and use your impact story.
 

– Maryfrances

Your ImpactStory™ Coach