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From Anecdotes to Evidence: The Power of Qualitative Data in Showing Impact

 

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Venue: Zoom

Program Description: When you work at a nonprofit you experience your impact every day. You see the people whose lives you are changing and that is evidence enough to know you are making a difference.

 But funders don’t always get it. They ask for results that often take years or lifetimes to see. They want to “be sure” or want “proof” of where their money will go and how it will make a difference.

 It’s a tough ask - prove that you are changing people’s lives against underfunded programs and prejudiced systems or provide clear impact when you are discovering new ways to address problems that no one else has been able to solve.

 In this session, Emily will break down why organizations face challenges when showing their impact, what funders really want to know, and 4 ways qualitative research can help you strengthen your impact story. 

Speaker Bio: Emily Taylor (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-taylor-teenybig/) has over 20 years of experience in qualitative research, collaboration, and problem-solving. She  works with nonprofit leaders whose organizations are at an inflection point - they’re ready to gain the funding they need for their next stage of growth. Leaders who seek Emily’s expertise know they need to fully show their impact beyond a few good stories but aren’t sure where to go next.

To achieve this, Emily applies her individualized listening methodology with an organization's community, allowing teams to 'see their value' through patterns, measurable shifts, and first-hand quotes. She helps them show their impact through the eyes of those the organization serves and builds clear language around it.

Emily’s clients span a wide variety of sectors, supporting the objectivity she brings to her work. This perspective allows her to see past the shorthand and insider knowledge that keep parts of an organization’s community from fully understanding each other. While she works with clients of all sizes, some of her past clients include American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, ACTION Housing, American Marketing Association, and Feeding America’s National Office.

 Emily lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter. She is on the board of Onward Neighborhood House - serving low-income and migrant families in her local area, supports the membership committee for Chicago Women in Philanthropy, and serves on the Local School Council of her neighborhood school. She attributes her success to her unique ability to balance left and right brain thinking - to make sense of people’s emotions and motivations and apply them to strategic thinking, including all the perspectives that make us human.

Membership: Only $50 /year for 10 programs plus other PIDN benefits.

Drop-In: $20 per program ($15 for professionals new to the field)

 
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December 10

Igniting Your Board’s Philanthropic Spirit