Uplifting Nonprofit Service Provider Data to Support Struggling Households
by Nick Redding, Hawai‘i Data Collaborative
In this new year, we continue to focus on collaborating with service providers, government agencies, and private sector funders working to support Hawai‘i households in need. While 2023 marks the start of our first official post-COVID year, data from a recent Aloha United Way (AUW) report suggests many who were struggling to get by prior to the pandemic may be faring much worse now.
AUW conducted their interim study independently due to the lack of local and current data on the magnitude of need, which communities have the greatest need, the needs existing services do not sufficiently address, as well as the urgent need for this kind of data to guide current decision-making processes. National sources we traditionally relied upon (e.g. the American Community Survey) for understanding current household need would take years to access, making it difficult to extract insights and make decisions in a timely manner.
For an issue as important as household well-being, we should not be relying primarily on lagging national data sources. In order for data to be relevant, it needs to be timely. Otherwise, how will it guide our leaders to understand and address the unique challenges of households struggling to get by in Hawai‘i today?
Fortunately, as we learned last year through extensive direct support work and interviews, nonprofit service providers are well-placed to fill this fundamental data gap. Furthermore, they are highly motivated to collect and share data that improves services, since they are the eyes and ears on the frontline addressing the needs of local families every day. These nonprofits understand how their data and insights could inform broader discussions around policy, resource allocation, and ultimately outcomes. In order to do so, however, they need the right support.
If it were simply a matter of asking service providers to share more data, Hawai‘i would already have a robust data culture with easy access to timely and relevant data. Unfortunately, many service providers in our community lack resources to collect, let alone effectively share data. Government agencies, policymakers, and private funders also lack a coherent and cohesive approach to data and reporting, creating an added burden on service providers who are obligated to deliver data in government and funder determined formats in order to continue operating.
Transforming our ability, as a community, to use data to better respond to the needs of struggling households will require a whole system approach as described in our 2022 Data Landscape Report framework:
Transforming the Hawai‘i household data landscape requires that we:
Respond to service provider data capacity challenges with empathy. Our nonprofit service providers work hard, often struggling to sustain funds for the true cost of doing their critical work. When better supported, these organization leaders can begin to develop responsive internal data cultures, while bolstered by philanthropy funding to develop new capacities for data collection and insight sharing. In addition, although even more challenging to implement, these organizational and capacity investments will have the greatest impact with streamlined and standardized data processes and reporting requirements across government-funded programs.
Build effective platforms for multi-stakeholder responses to complex issues. While it is common for relevant organizations to convene around specific issues, it is much less common for these convenings to be supported with the facilitation and technical infrastructure needed for effective data sharing and data-guided collective action. With government contracts accounting for a majority of household assistance funding, these platforms can serve as important feedback loops that ensure effective use of tax dollars and resource deployment based on actual need.
Support state-level leaders to make good decisions based on data. Currently, higher-level decision makers lack the data needed to make strong, evidence-based cases for reinforcing or shifting priorities. Service provider data should be critical to these discussions, which can only happen if there are robust channels for synthesizing and elevating cross-sector data. Government can play a key role in encouraging and prioritizing data sharing so all decision makers have access to timely, relevant information to address our pressing challenges.
The issues at hand are complex and difficult to solve. Many involved are simply doing their best to do what they can with the limited resources they have. To overcome these systemic challenges, it is critical that we work together and focus on how we can best serve our community.
The reality is that everyone’s interests – policymakers, government agencies, service providers, and private funders – are aligned. We all want to make the greatest impact on household need in the most efficient way possible. Improving data capacity and culture involves upfront investment, but the return is cross-sector efficiency and efficacy in the long run that will ultimately benefit those most in need.
To learn more, we invite you to read our report From Better Data to Better Outcomes for Households in Hawai’i, and get in touch with us at info@hawaiidata.org.
