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Summaries of Evaluations
Evaluation Recommends Central Data Clearinghouse
Database Development and Management:
A Cluster Evaluation Sponsored by the William Penn Foundation
An evaluation of regional databases has led to a recommendation for the development of a central, collaborative clearinghouse for regional information that will better serve local nonprofit organizations and the people who rely upon them for services. The evaluation, sponsored by the Foundation, and conducted by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning and experts from the Swarthmore College Department of Economics, reviewed databases developed by eight, autonomous, regional organizations. These databases provide a wide range of data, including Census, vital statistics, and Housing Mortgage Disclosure Act data; administrative records, such as property tax, school performance, and welfare data; and survey data, such as the regional household health survey data. These databases could potentially serve as a powerful tool for nonprofit users, furnishing pertinent information on distinct populations, geographic areas, research findings, and more, enabling organizations to provide faster, more specific support to those in need. At present, however, users can only take advantage of these resources if they know how to track down and extract the information. Researchers discovered that the providers knew very little about the needs of their users, and that the users knew very little about accessing, interpreting, and reporting on the database information available to them. The report's principal recommendation is for the development of a collaborative clearinghouse of diverse regional database information, which would be made available to users through a central Web site, with instructions on how to find specific data products, training, and support for users.
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