There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to analysing and visualising data. The tools and strategies we choose are shaped by our goals, resources, capabilities and context. What works well for one organisation may be entirely unfit for another.

In this session, we’ll explore how two different organisations approached these choices, what drove their decisions when selecting data tools and systems, and how this has supported better organisational decision-making, progress tracking and impact assessments. You’ll gain insight into different paths to unlocking value from data and discover that whatever your size, focus or starting point, there are practical, meaningful ways to make your data work for you.

Working title

Curious how other foundations are using GivingData to streamline their work? Join us for a collaborative session where GivingData users will share how they’ve configured and are using specific features like Interactions, Statuses, and Codes in their own GivingData environments. Whether it’s a deep dive into how one foundation uses Interactions to track events, or a look at how another manages unsolicited submissions with Statuses, this session is all about learning from each other’s real-world setups.

Each presenter will offer a brief, informal walkthrough of their configuration, followed by open Q&A. Participants will also have the opportunity to share their own setups in small group discussions and to the broader group, so come ready to participate and bring your laptop!

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

Learn how the Sewall Foundation leveraged GivingData’s features to create a process for winding down grantees that minimized grantee burden and was easy for staff to follow. Walk through the design process from its initial phases in spreadsheets and an online whiteboard, to choosing which GivingData features would support the foundation's goals, and then moving it forward with grantees.

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

Lend your voice to the GivingData Product Team as we explore and co-create new features to better support your grantmaking work.

Office Hour sign-up forms will become available a couple of weeks before the event.

Dine Around sign-ups will be released a couple of weeks before the event.

In this session we will explore strategies to optimize GivingData within resource-constrained environments. While primarily focused on foundations with smaller staff size, the session will also benefit individuals on smaller Grants teams within larger organizations. The discussion will cover practical tips + tricks — at every GivingData subscription level — to maximize impact within lean operations. We’ll offer diverse perspectives from the GivingData community — foundation staff, Client Success Managers, and consulting partners — on best practices for doing more with less. 

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As grantmaking processes evolve, foundations must ensure they have the right roles, structures, and technology in place to support efficient, high-quality grantmaking. Yet, many organizations struggle with unclear role distribution and disjointed workflows, leading to inefficiencies, data silos, and grantee frustration. Based on insights from nearly 100 foundations, this session will introduce 1892 Consulting’s Strategic Grants Management Model, which catalogs the core grants management responsibilities that every foundation must perform. We’ll explore: 

• How to define clear roles and responsibilities across grants management, program, finance, and IT. 
• The key grantmaking characteristics that determine staffing needs. 
• How grants management professionals can support stronger processes, collaboration, and data-informed decision-making across teams. 
• How GivingData can support these efforts by providing the tools and technology to streamline grants management workflows, enhance data visibility, and improve cross-team collaboration. 
   

What if grant reporting felt more like a conversation and less like a compliance exercise? In this session, four foundations will share how they’ve adopted verbal reporting practices to better align with their trust-based values. Through real-world case studies, panelists will explore how structured conversations not only reduce grantee burden, but support more equitable, learning-centered grantmaking. Panelists will reflect on how they designed their verbal (or hybrid) reporting process, implemented their process by leveraging GivingData features, and how the change has been received by staff and grantees. During a candid conversation with our panelists, we’ll explore strategies for gaining buy-in from senior leadership, tips for navigating potential obstacles, and best practices for tracking insights from verbal reports. 

Attendees will leave with ideas and actionable steps to take to advocate for and design the future of grantee reporting at their organization. This session is suitable for all GivingData skill levels.

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

Candid is developing landscapes, a powerful new tool that enables grantmakers to visualize and analyze philanthropic activity across funder cohorts, causes, geographies, and populations. Built to support data-informed decision-making, landscapes helps you explore who is funding what, where, and how. In this first-hand view of the tool, you’ll see how it can transform how you understand your funding ecosystem, collaborate with peers, and tell your foundation’s story with data.

Short talks are given twice with a 15-min break in between.

In this short session, we’ll introduce Impact Labs, a new initiative from our product and technology team where a small group of engineers is dedicated to experimenting with emerging technologies. The goal isn’t putting features into production, but exploration: learning, prototyping, and understanding how new technologies and tools might shape the future of our products and the philanthropic sector. We’ll share what Impact Labs is, why it exists, and offer a glimpse into a few of the early research projects in motion. If you're curious about where innovation starts and how we're preparing for what's next, this session is for you.

Lend your voice to the GivingData Product Team as we explore and co-create new features to better support your grantmaking work.

Office Hour sign-up forms will become available a couple of weeks before the event.

6:00 pm Reception Begins*

8:00 pm Reception Ends

*Light food will be provided. We recommend making the appropriate dinner plans prior to or after the reception. 

Be the first to see the new features coming to GivingData and join the conversation on how to put them to work in your organization.