How to Use Data Driven Impact Stories to Increase Funding and Donor Engagement

By: Sheri Chaney Jones

Nov 17, 2023

Right now is a critical planning period for social-change organizations. The end of year is filled with strategic planning for the upcoming year, including preparing annual reports and finishing the year with strong fundraising campaigns. It’s also time to review your goals for 2024 and imagine the possibilities of how you can increase donor engagement in the year ahead. But where do you start? Successful strategic planning is a process, not a one-time event. It starts with developing a vision and then using quantitative and qualitative data to understand where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. It is about making the most impact with every available dollar and demonstrating that impact to your funders. Reliable metrics give your social-change organization the tools necessary to make strategic decisions with confidence that you are giving your program participants the best chance to succeed. You can then turn around and use that impact measurement to give your current and potential funders the same confidence. In this workshop-style session, social change entrepreneur and impact measurement expert Sheri Chaney Jones will walk you through the nuts and bolts of measuring and sharing your impact so you can increase your revenue, drive donor engagement, and increase your long-term sustainability. Sheri will share tips and resources to help you: Prepare for end-of-year fundraising Use impact data to outperform your peers and raise more money Communicate your impact on an individual, program, and organizational level Tailor your impact story to meet funder needs