Building the Data and Research Capacity of Community-Based Nonprofits

Skill Building

This session will describe the presenter’s experience conducting assets and needs assessment with small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations in Toledo, Ohio. The assessment focused specifically on nonprofit capacity to conduct and use research. A core group of nonprofit organizations guided the assessment, which included a survey of nonprofits and depth-interviews with local funders. The research uncovered severe gaps and inefficiencies in nonprofit information management capacity. A participatory planning process was organized to involve funders, nonprofits, and research support providers. A pilot neighborhood data system project and a pilot research methods mini-course was created as intervention measures. The pilot neighborhood data system project, supported by the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center, included providing census data for individual neighborhoods on a centralized website, and a best practices analysis of other neighborhood data systems around the country to guide expansion of the system. The research methods mini-course, supported by the Toledo Community Foundation, was designed with help from a core group of nonprofit representatives.