Thank you for your interest in United Way of Central Indiana’s 2023 Community Equity Data Initiative

Applications are now closed for submission

About the Community Equity Data Initiative

The Community Equity Data Initiative, formerly known as the Grassroots and Faith-Based Data Initiative, provides in-depth training and technology assistance on data collection, impact measurement and evaluation for nonprofit or faith-based organizations led by and/or primarily serving people of color. This 12-month data initiative is based on the foundational learnings from the 2021-2022 Grassroots and Faith-Based Data Initiative pilot and research which highlighted the need for education and access to data collection software for grassroots and faith-based organizations to improve their access to funding in Central Indiana. Organizations selected to participate will work alongside United Way to advance, understand, and streamline their data collection and program outcomes. As part of this initiative, organizations will receive access to a customized data collection software to capture client and service outcomes that will allow them to compete for funding and cultivate greater equity around data collection and reporting.

Organizations selected to participate in the 2023 cohort will receive:

  • Monthly workshops and one-on-one sessions hosted by content experts and the United Way of Central Indiana Strategic Information data team 

  • Three-year grant for a customized, robust data collection and reporting tool, through the Efforts to Outcomes™ (ETO) software, to enhance the organization's ability to track and report on their impact 

  • Ongoing guidance and technical support from the United Way team to support the organization’s ETO data collection design, staff training, and reporting needs 

  • Custom report writing in ETO to capture the organization’s impact 

At the conclusion of the initiative engaged participants will:  

  • Have explored their current data collection and analytics processes and will have the tools/knowledge to leverage data to benefit the clients they serve 

  • Have a customized data collection tool designed in ETO that is specific to the services they provide that will allow them to track and analyze program outcomes and better compete for funding for up to six employees for three years 

  • Have individualized training on how to best showcase the data they already have and realize the potential for new data collection and analysis 

  • Have had opportunities to learn from and build connections with other organizations and experts in various focus areas related to data collection and program evaluation 

To learn more about the origin and background of this initiative, watch the video.

ELIGIBILITY

Participating organizations must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Any 501(c)3 with an annual budget of less than $1 million or a faith-based organization that shares mission alignment with United Way of Central Indiana

  • Led by and/or primarily serving people of color

History of the Community Equity Data Initiative

In 2020, Denise Luster, the Vice President of Impact Research and Analytics for United Way of Central Indiana, attended a panel discussion of Black-led nonprofits and faith-based organizations hosted by the United Way Executive Committee. A common sentiment shared was that reporting and data collection standards were a barrier for Black-led and faith-based organizations. Smaller nonprofit organizations, typically with budgets of less than one million dollars, shared they did not have the staffing or resources to track and report on long-term outcomes required by many Central Indiana funders. 

United Way’s Equity Action initiative established a goal to expand its grantmaking to serve more diverse populations and build the capacity of Black-led and faith-based organizations (UWCI Equity Action). As part of the Equity Action initiative, United Way’s Strategic Information team conducted a survey and focus groups with nonprofit grassroots and faith-based organizations to learn more about their perspectives and experiences. Starting in January 2021, five organizations participated in a 12-month data pilot, known as the Grassroots and Faith-Based Data Initiative. This pilot focused on providing monthly meetings and trainings along with one-on-one consultations on specific topics and skills related to data collection, and the overall utility of such data sources through evaluation and reporting. 

If you have questions about the Community Equity Data Initiative, please contact us at: Research@uwci.org.