Stop Collecting Data You Don’t Use
How an Evaluation Strategy Map Can Help
Let’s be honest—nonprofits collect a ridiculous amount of data. Every time you turn around, there’s another survey, another report, another spreadsheet that someone started but never finished (rest in peace, forgotten Google Sheets).
And yet, despite all this effort, it can still feel like no one actually knows what’s going on. You’re pulling numbers at the last minute for grant reports, trying to remember why you collected that one random dataset in 2021, and wondering if any of this data is actually useful.
Sound familiar? Then it’s time to get off the data hamster wheel and create an Evaluation Strategy Map.
Why do nonprofits drown in data?
It’s not your fault. Here’s how it happens:
A funder requests a specific metric, so you create a tool to collect it.
A well-meaning staff member decides to run a survey but forgets to share the results.
Someone leaves the organization, taking all their data knowledge with them.
Reports are written, submitted, and promptly forgotten—until next year, when you’re asked for the same numbers and have no idea where to find them.
Before you know it, you have dozens of disconnected data points floating around, but no clear way to connect the dots.
The Fix: An Evaluation Strategy Map
Think of an Evaluation Strategy Map as a GPS for your data collection. Instead of wandering aimlessly through a wasteland of unused surveys and mystery Excel files, this tool helps you:
Figure out what data actually matters (and stop collecting things “just in case”)
Align your teams so everyone knows what’s being tracked and why
Make reporting less of a fire drill and more of a smooth process
Use data to actually make decisions instead of just filling out grant reports
It’s basically project management for your evaluation efforts—helping you work smarter, not harder.
How to Create Your Own Evaluation Strategy Map
Step 1: Identify Your Key Evaluation Goals
Ask yourself: What do we actually need to know? Not what funders ask for, not what sounds nice, but what truly helps you measure your impact and improve your programs.
Keep it simple—three to five key evaluation questions are plenty.
Step 2: Map Out Your Current Data Collection
List out all the ways you collect data—surveys, interviews, attendance records, case notes, staff debriefs.
Then, ask:
Are we collecting the same information in multiple places?
Are we missing key information that would actually be helpful?
Is there data no one looks at, but we collect anyway?
Step 3: Connect the Data to Decision-Making
Good data shouldn’t just sit in a folder labeled “Reports - Final FINAL Version.” They should be printed, and stuffed in a drawer! Just kidding.
Think about where your data is (or should be) used:
Team meetings: What insights actually help you improve programs?
Board updates: What stories and numbers best show your impact?
Grant reports: Can you streamline data collection to make reporting easier?
Step 4: Visualize Your Strategy Map
Put it all together in a one-page diagram that shows:
Your key evaluation goals
How you’re collecting data
Where and how that data is being used
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be clear enough that everyone understands the plan, even if they missed the meeting.
Let’s Make This Easy
If this sounds great but you don’t have time to do it yourself, I’ve got you.
Download my free Evaluation Strategy Map template by signing up below and get started right away.
Or, if you’d rather skip the stress, let’s build your map together. My one-time consultation includes an evaluation audit and a fully customized strategy map, so you can finally collect data with intention and impact—instead of just because you “should.”
Book a call today, and let’s turn your data chaos into clarity.
