February 27, 2013
Originally published by Impatient Optimists … Last month, the Aspen Institute hosted a forum where they released a new report entitled “Information for Impact: Liberating Nonprofit Sector Data.” The report by researchers Beth Noveck and Daniel Goroff focuses on how the U.S. currently collects, digitizes, and distributes data about charities...
February 20, 2013
This paper, offered in full text for Markets For Good, was originally published by Alliance Magazine. Many thanks to the author, Buzz Schmidt, and to Caroline Hartnell, Editor of Alliance Magazine. The paper proposes in detail a version of an upgraded information infrastructure for the social sector – squarely...
February 18, 2013
Markets For Good talks with Jeannine Corey , Director of Grants Information Management of The Foundation Center for an update on the Reporting Commitment, an initiative launched by a group of the largest U.S. foundations. We read many announcements of start-ups, projects, and initiatives; but, it’s good to check in...
February 6, 2013
Our conversation on upgrading the information infrastructure for the social sector takes place at a moment in which both the technological and cultural/organizational changes needed to make it happen are equally urgent. And they’re happening. Elizabeth Boris offers a researcher’s perspective on these movements toward better data practice and talks...
November 19, 2012
The complexity of the “data” question is evident to the point of new cliché. Regardless of whether it is cliché or not, we have to deal with it. After any given round of wrestling with the question, we can often sense ways forward that are simple, powerful, and counterintuitive. That’s...
November 12, 2012
I will leave the foreword to this post as best stated by Jeff Edmonson, most recent recipient of the American Express NGEN Leadershp Award and Founder of the Strive Network: “The big vision of Strive is to support every child, from cradle to career. And in order to get every...
October 30, 2012
Performance assessment is an acknowledged necessity for nonprofits to operate effectively and attract capital. Phil Buchanan discusses the role of foundations in helping nonprofits carry out this vital function and the challenges for everyone involved. Markets for Good is a welcome push for the development and use of data to...
October 2, 2012
It’s worth taking the time to learn to “speak” with numbers, writes Rebecca Thomas, noted financial planning and management consultant expert for nonprofits and foundations. Part I of II. Understanding and unearthing insights about a nonprofit organization’s financial dynamics, strengths and weaknesses can be skills-intensive and time-consuming. But, avoiding it...
