By Lauren Woodman, CEO, DataKind
In the social sector, data is everywhere – dashboards, reports, metrics, models. But for many nonprofit leaders, the question isn’t whether data exists. It’s whether it actually helps them make better decisions.
Too often, it doesn’t.
Data on its own is inert. It doesn’t design a program. It doesn’t decide which constituents to serve. It doesn’t tell you whether to expand, adapt, or stop doing something altogether. What matters is the insight it surfaces – and whether that insight gives leaders the confidence to act.
For nonprofits always challenged by limited time, funding, and staff capacity, that confidence is critical. Every decision carries weight: Who do we reach? Where do we invest? What will actually make a difference? This is where the real work begins – not at the point of collecting data, but at the moment it becomes actionable.
From Hunches to Informed Action
Many nonprofit leaders know their communities deeply and have instincts about what works. But acting on instinct alone is risky when the margin for error is small. You can’t test every idea or target every population “just to see what happens.” Insight bridges that gap.
When data is structured, contextualized, and tied to real-world decisions, it allows organizations to move forward with greater certainty. It helps answer questions like: Where are needs most acute? Which interventions are likely to have the greatest impact? How do we adapt when conditions change?
This isn’t about cutting-edge AI or complex data science. It’s about making data usable – so it supports the decisions leaders already need to make, rather than creating more noise or work.
Designing Programs That Listen – and Adapt
The most effective organizations we work with aren’t just using data to evaluate outcomes after the fact. They’re using it to design programs that are tightly aligned with the people they serve – and to continuously learn and adapt as those needs evolve.
This means moving beyond static reports toward shared, living insights. It means connecting data across systems and organizations, so teams can spot patterns, compare approaches, and identify solutions more efficiently. And it means measuring what actually matters, not just what’s easiest to count.
When data is embedded into program design – supported by strong partnerships – it becomes a strategic asset, not a burden.
Staying Grounded Amid the Hype
There’s no shortage of excitement about data and AI. Some of it is promising. But hype doesn’t solve urgent, real-world problems with limited resources.
At DataKind, we’ve learned that the most powerful solutions aren’t always the most technically sophisticated. They’re the ones that help leaders focus, prioritize, and act with clarity and confidence.
That’s the work we’re committed to: building products and platforms that make data useful, accessible, and aligned with how nonprofits actually operate.
Putting These Lessons to Work
Over the past year, we’ve been taking these lessons seriously – not just in how we partner, but in what we build. We’re focused on creating shared, practical infrastructure that helps organizations move from data to insight to action.
As we prepare to launch the next phase of our work in the U.S., we’re asking one core question: How can data better support the people making hard decisions every day?
Not by asking them to become data scientists. Not by adding complexity. But by helping insights surface where they matter most – so organizations can design smarter interventions, make the most of what they have, and adapt as their communities change.
Because data doesn’t create impact. People do – when they have the right information at the right time to move forward with confidence.
Header image courtesy of iStock/Natalya Kosarevich.
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