Hartford Foundation Supports 3-Year Initiative
HARTFORD, CT -- The Connecticut Data Collaborative will intensify efforts to improve the data literacy skills of nonprofit organizations through an array of workshops, courses, training, focus groups and evaluations in a multi-pronged, three-year plan that has earned the financial support of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
As part of the initiative, the Connecticut Data Collaborative (CT Data) will examine the specific needs of nonprofit organizations and their current data capacity, particularly in the Greater Hartford region, as they seek to make better use of available data. Its CT Data Academy convenes data forums and conferences, workshops and programs.
“Our goal is to reach more nonprofits, make them more comfortable using data, and increase the use of data throughout their work – in evaluating programs, assessing need, informing the public and policy makers, and becoming even more effective in the work they do and the services they provide. We appreciate the support of the Hartford Foundation, for electing to underwrite this effort to strengthen the nonprofit community,” said Michelle Riordan-Nold, Executive Director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has awarded the Connecticut Data Collaborative a three-year grant to pursue the multi-year initiative.
“CT Data Academy workshops complement the work of the Hartford Foundation’s Nonprofit Support Program, specifically the Building Evaluation Capacity program, which focuses on the collection and use of internal data of the organization around a specific project,” said Hartford Foundation senior investments officer Yvette Bello. “The CT Data Academy workshops would examine internal and external open data needed for informed policy decisions and service needs.”
CT Data, through the CT Data Academy initiative, plans to offer its popular Data Basics workshop to nonprofit organization leaders and staff. As more nonprofit organizations participate, they will provide CT Data with an evolving understanding of the specific needs of nonprofits that will enable refinements of the course material. In addition, CT Data will expand outreach efforts to assess the data literacy needs of more nonprofits and involve more organizations in the CT Data portfolio of training workshops.
In the fall, CT Data will hold a more intensive data training class, Data-in-Depth, for area nonprofits. They are also completing a Data Storytelling class and will add additional training modules as interest and needs arise. Each workshop is designed to provide particular skills to further the understanding and use of data, which can provide a range of benefits for nonprofit organizations.
“We know that organizations working to be data-driven need support as they develop and expand their data capacity,” said Rachel Leventhal-Weiner of the CT Data Academy. “We have already seen tremendous demand for education and training – now we will be able to meet those needs, which in turn, helps nonprofits and the people they serve to thrive.”
CT Data strives for informed decision-making across Connecticut, empowering an ecosystem of data users by democratizing access to public data and building data literacy skills. CT Data recently announced a partnership with Trinity College’s Liberal Arts Action Lab to work on projects of mutual interest, including health and housing data visualization and analysis of Hartford neighborhoods.
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Contact:
Michelle Riordan-Nold
Connecticut Data Collaborative
mrn@ctdata.org
860-571-6214
Website: www.ctdata.org