132 - What Kind of Story Can Be Told By Your Organization’s Demographics?: Overcoming Challenges to Effectively Collect and Use Organizational Demographic Data

Abstract Information: Join this session to explore evaluation trends and best practices in the collection of organizational demographic data and learn how to design a data collection strategy for your own organization or those you work with which aligns with organizational needs. We will share common challenges that arise when implementing a new demographic data collection strategy and invite attendees to share ideas for overcoming barriers and ensuring that overall data collection strategy helps organizations tell the story of their mission and intentional service to their community. This session will deepen your understanding of why it’s important to collect this information, considerations for inclusion and privacy, how to craft messaging around the importance of demographic data collection and how to share organizational demographics to communicate a story of impact to external audiences. We will also share a compilation of resources on how different social sector organizations approach organizational demographic data collection.

Relevance Statement: Over the past few years, there has been increased momentum from nonprofits and foundations towards better, more inclusive demographic data collection practices both internally and externally (Center for Effective Philanthropy). This comes in the wake of a renewed focus examining the extent to which the backgrounds, lived experiences and identities of those in the communities served are represented amongst leadership and staff of nonprofits and foundations, as well as increased accountability and transparency in grantmaking. However, at the same time, nonprofits are increasingly experiencing data collection burnout, as different funders ask for demographics data in different ways.. There are also deep concerns about utilizing correct terminology, potential pushback from staff, data privacy and security, and whether a lack of diversity will reflect negatively on fundraising. National trends are also poised to change as the U.S. federal government revises its standards for collecting race and ethnicity data for the first time in over 25 years (United States Office of Management and Budget) This session presents an opportunity to speak frankly about concerns, brainstorm potential solutions together and provide resources on demographic data collection.