Talk Data to Me: Building Relationships and Collaborating in a Digital World
Amanda Miller is the Data & Systems Manager for Mission Capital. Before joining the staff in 2019, Amanda was a Good Measure program participant and self-proclaimed data nerd (and still is).
Fall is upon us, and that means it’s time to break out the sweaters, pumpkin spice, and data placemats! Hosted by Good Measure and produced by Mission Capital, Data Institute is a bi-annual conference that brings together nonprofit staff, philanthropists, and community stakeholders to connect how insights and trends can power our work moving forward. Because of the ongoing COVID crisis, this year’s Data Institute experience is being held in the virtual space, with speakers and topics spanning the breadth of our work, looking back to where we were, how far we’ve come, and what’s in store for the future as we think about the intersection of data and social good in the new reality of the ‘middle’ of the COVID crisis. I look forward to this bi-annual conference for the opportunities to connect with my peers and colleagues, hear from experts in the field, and contribute to the ever-evolving conversation about data analysis, interpretation, and impact that centers the needs of the Central Texas community.
I was introduced to Good Measure through the first Data Institute back in the Fall of 2016. I was working for a local nonprofit, and my director forwarded me an email saying, “you should go to this.” I remember being elated to find a space, locally, that brought together people from across the sector to talk about data and evaluation strategy. I was close to my people! The sessions were thought-provoking and a great introduction and review to key data analysis techniques and visualization principles. I left feeling inspired and hopeful that I could use what I’d learned to make changes to our data systems.
I continued my relationship with Good Measure as a part of the first Data Leaders Academy cohort in 2018. The series culminated with the second Data Institute, which highlighted POC voices and centered data journeys as a theme. I remember listening to Meme Styles (Measure Austin) speak about community data and the work her team is doing and thinking, “this is where the real work is.” Standing outside after the conference, I had a great conversation with my coworker about data disparities and the need to disaggregate student achievement scores. I remember walking away thinking, “wow, that was great, but we have so much work to do….”
I joined the Mission Capital team in the spring of 2019, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support the team behind the scenes of the third iteration of this innovative and collaborative event. Being a data manager in the nonprofit sector can feel incredibly lonely. You’re likely the only one in your organization with this role, and often it’s just a part of your job duties, intermixed with operations, programming, and/or management responsibilities. Good Measure events create the space to talk to folks outside of your normal network about data and evaluation, and to build relationships that can have lasting impact on the way you think about your work. I’m excited to be able to peek behind the curtain of this event’s third evolution, Data Institute Virtual, and see what incredible programing, insightful conversations, and opportunities for collaboration stem from this conference.
Data management, evaluation practices, and demonstrating impact will always be an ongoing conversation. We’re never ‘done’ with data work, and we need every person to be involved and understand what their role is in understanding the impact that their work has on our community, especially on our communities of color. Mission Capital is on a journey to support nonprofits who have made it clear that equity is an important value in their work; our collaboration with Good Measure to create spaces like the Data Institute continues to be important for understanding how to bring people together around this critical goal.
Registration for the Data Institute Virtual is open – I’ll ‘see’ you there, and I’m excited to connect with new voices around our nonprofit community’s data needs!