About this session

This session will help you find and use high-quality, publicly available data on a wide range of social conditions. Over the last decade, the number of publicly available, interactive, user-friendly databases and indexes has increased rapidly. On the one hand, this gives nonprofit professionals, grantmakers, elected leaders and concerned citizens new power to measure everything from a community's "walkability" and the availability of affordable child care, to its share of affordable housing. On the other hand, this inundation of information can be overwhelming, with a seemingly endless number of variables to consider. This interactive session will draw from Brandeis University's Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy's recent curation of social sector indexes, identifying the most useful and high-quality resources. We will provide an overview of existing publicly available measures and indexes, simulate data production and provide time for attendees to practice finding and using data relevant for their needs and communities.

This session is brought to you in partnership with United Way of Greater Houston, Brandeis University's Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Rice University's Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership.

Susan E. Eaton, Professor of the Practice in Social Policy at Brandeis University's Heller School for Social Policy and Nonprofit Management

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Check out Sillerman Center’s recent publications:

• Next Generation Commemoration: Philanthropy's Past, Present and Future Roles
• The Index Explosion: A Curated List of Social Sector Rankings and Indexes
• Civic Engagement and People with Disabilities (In collaboration with the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy)
• Inhabiting Change: Roles for Funders in Reducing and Redressing Housing Segregation