Collaborating for greater impact: An integrated data ecosystem

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A joint project between NPC, Mowat NFP, and Imagine Canada, this paper defines the data ecosystem, summarises the charitable data policy context, and highlights key challenges and emerging trends. It provides actionable recommendations to build a more enabling environment for data collection, analysis and sharing.

Data about the charitable sector is a strategically important asset. As we work towards an enabling environment, it is increasingly important to focus on data that is accessed, collected, shared and analysed by the sector as part of their service delivery, research, evaluation and policy advocacy activities. It is also important to recognise that the data used and produced by the charitable sector is part of a wider social sector ‘data ecosystem’.

This paper articulates opportunities to advance charitable sector data policy, and to enhance organisations’ ability to deliver work that is evidence-based, outcomes-oriented and responsiveto the needs of the communities they serve.