The idea behind “open data” is that accessible data promotes government transparency, civic engagement, and the ability of community members to create solutions to problems within their communities. In this way, open data can be a rich resource for nonprofits. Continue reading
data
Does Parental Involvement = Student Achievement?
A recent New York Times op-ed titled “Parental Involvement Is Overrated” challenges conventional wisdom that increased parent engagement improves student academic achievement. Authors Keith Robinson and Angel L. Harris argue some parent involvement can even limit students academically. Robinson and Harris believe parents must do three things to positively impact their child’s academic success. Continue reading
Fairmount’s Favorite Tweets: 1/27 – 1/31 Edition
Who says you can’t teach an experienced dog new tricks? Fairmount Ventures has joined Twitter!
The Twitterverse is alive with stimulating conversation. Weekly we’ll share some of our favorite tweets. We view it as a quick way to stay informed on the facts, news, and quotes that introduced something we think is neat, interesting, or even funny. Continue reading
Not as easy as 1-2-3
Part of what makes data collection and evaluation so challenging is that it’s not always clear what the most useful data to capture actually is. Last time, I talked about how an organization might determine what the most useful data is for evaluating performance of volunteers. It’s not as easy as it seems. Continue reading
Hitting it Out of the Park
Last week I wrote about football and the value of punting. This week, I’m moving to baseball and considering another question: How can we determine what the most useful data is for evaluating performance? Continue reading
4th Down Conversion
Since 2003, Pulaski Academy, a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, has compiled a 111-21 record in football, winning the state championship 3 times. Why do I tell you this? Because they’ve done this without punting! Continue reading
Data as an Art Form
Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Or as engineer Clarence Johnson stated, perhaps more memorably, “Keep it simple, stupid!” As the philanthropic community places more and more weight on data and evaluation in determining where to direct support, many nonprofits are looking for new ways to present complex evidence in a straightforward and succinct manner to catch and keep the attention of potential funders. While traditional charts and graphs may suffice, some have discovered a method of demonstrating their results that is both simple and visually appealing: infographics. Continue reading