Categories
Blog Food Assistance Human Services

How Food Banks Benefit from Partnerships

How Food Banks Benefit from Partnerships

How might your organization benefit?

As a food bank, food pantry, or food council, your mission likely involves reducing food insecurity or hunger and increasing access to healthy food. You probably ramped up during the pandemic and are still waiting for the need to decrease. You have likely already squeezed out every bit of efficiency in your operations with today’s tools.

But what if you could add a tool that, within three short months, can maximize the data collected in your various systems and communicate it effectively to stakeholders? Have you considered a partnership with Datatelligent and Tableau?

Datatelligent is a data analytics company that partners with nonprofit organizations to organize existing data. Conversely, Tableau is a leading data visualization tool that can transform complex data into easily understandable and actionable insights. Food banks, food pantries, food councils, and their human service partners have worked with us in many ways.

Data analysis and visualization

Organizations often input information about donors, volunteers, food types, needs, geography, expenses, and more into various software systems. Datatelligent pulls data from disparate systems and layers on Tableau’s data visualization tools. We transform this data into dashboards where various staff leaders can answer questions and make data-driven decisions through self-service.

Streamlined operations

Datatelligent can combine data sets that previously lived in data silos or even simple spreadsheets. Using data analytics, Food Banks and Pantries may identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies in their processes. With info from across their service area, Food Councils can visualize the trends in needs, resources, and gaps in the overall food assistance ecosystem. With the help of Datatelligent and Tableau, they can implement changes to streamline their operations, improve efficiency, and ultimately serve more people in need.

Improved fundraising and communications

How do you prove you are making a difference? Data analytics can help you identify donation trends, understand your donor base, and target communications. More importantly, effective use of data can help justify sustained or increased funding—especially when it illustrates how the services provided meet the need or highlights precisely who is most in need. Datatelligent and Tableau equip organizations with strategies that are more likely to resonate with donors and result in increased funding.

Contact us to learn how your Food Bank, Food Pantry, or Food Council can work with us. Tell the story of your food ecosystem and your organization’s impact. Consider partnering with Datatelligent and Tableau to take your organization to the next level.

Categories
Blog Faith Member/Volunteer Engagement Outputs & Outcome Snowflake Tableau

Empowering Faith-Based Organizations with Data: How Tableau and Snowflake can Increase Data Maturity

Empowering Faith-Based Organizations with Data: How Tableau and Snowflake can Increase Data Maturity

Faith-based organizations play a significant role in communities all around the world. These organizations have unique challenges when it comes to data management and analysis, as they often rely on volunteers and need more resources. However, modern tools such as Tableau and Snowflake can help faith-based organizations increase their data maturity and make more informed decisions.

Tableau is a data visualization tool that allows organizations to create interactive and engaging data visualizations. On the other hand, Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehouse that provides a secure and scalable platform for storing and analyzing data. Faith-based organizations can use these tools together to gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions.

Here are a few ways that faith-based organizations can use Tableau and Snowflake to increase their data maturity:

  1. Track and analyze donations: One of the most critical aspects of any faith-based organization is donations. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track and analyze donations over time to understand trends and patterns. They can create dashboards that show how much money they have received, where it came from, and how it was used. This can help them make more informed decisions about fundraising and budgeting.
  2. Monitor participation: Faith-based organizations rely on attendance and engagement to gauge the effectiveness of their programs. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track attendance and engagement metrics over time. They can create dashboards that show how many people attended each event, how engaged they were, and how long they stayed. This can help them identify which programs are most effective and where they need to make improvements.
  3. Monitor volunteer engagement: Volunteers are a critical part of many faith-based organizations, and it can be challenging to track their recruitment, training, assignments, and recognition. Tableau and Snowflake can help organizations evaluate volunteer performance by tracking hours worked, tasks completed, and opportunities for volunteer training or recognition. Data-driven volunteer management helps direct attention to the volunteers who might need additional support.
  4. Analyze program effectiveness: Faith-based organizations run a variety of programs, from education and outreach to charity and support services. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can analyze the effectiveness of these programs by tracking metrics such as program attendance, participant feedback, and outcomes for service recipients. This can help organizations identify which programs are most effective and where to improve.
  5. Monitor and improve operations: Like any organization, faith-based organizations have operational challenges that can be difficult to manage. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track operational metrics such as budget, staff time, and inventory. They can create dashboards that show how these metrics change over time, identify areas of concern, and make data-driven decisions to improve operations.

Tableau and Snowflake are powerful tools that can help faith-based organizations increase their data maturity and make more informed decisions. Faith-based organizations can gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions by tracking donations, attendance, volunteer performance, program effectiveness, and operational metrics. With the right tools and strategies, faith-based organizations can use data to improve their programs and services and positively impact their communities.

Categories
Blog Human Services Member/Volunteer Engagement

How Food Banks and Pantries Can Tackle SNAP Benefit Expiration

How Food Banks and Pantries Can Tackle SNAP Benefit Expiration

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has become a critical issue in many communities worldwide. Food banks and food pantries have played a vital role in providing essential support to those who are struggling to make ends meet. However, with the expiration of COVID-related SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and the rise of inflation, food banks and food pantries are facing new challenges. This blog will explore how food banks and food pantries can overcome these challenges.

1. Collaborate Locally

Collaborating with local businesses and farms can be an effective way for food banks and food pantries to supplement their supply of fresh produce and other food items. Some businesses and farms have excess inventory, unsold products, or needed items that they can donate to food banks and food pantries in their own communities. By forging partnerships with these organizations, food banks, and food pantries can enhance their supply of nutritious food for their clients.

2. Strengthen Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is critical for food banks and food pantries to prevent food waste and ensure that clients receive fresh and nutritious food and necessities. By implementing inventory management practices, food banks and food pantries can monitor the shelf life of their food items, prioritize items that are nearing expiration, and track most-in-need items by time of month and year.

3. Leverage Technology

Incorporating technology can be a game-changer for food banks and food pantries. By implementing various software, food banks and food pantries can monitor their inventory, volunteers, and donations in real time. This can help them decide which projects to prioritize and increase efficiency.

4. Educate the Community

Educating the community about food insecurity and the role of food banks and pantries can help raise awareness and encourage donations. While everyone is affected by inflation, many need to be aware of SNAP benefits’ limitations, such as not covering soap, diapers, hygiene products, or ready-to-eat items. By partnering with local schools and community organizations, food banks and food pantries can organize educational workshops and events to educate the community about food insecurity and how they can help.

Food banks and food pantries face new challenges due to COVID-related SNAP benefit expiration and inflation. However, by collaborating with local businesses and farms, strengthening effective inventory management, leveraging technology, and educating the community, food banks and food pantries can overcome these challenges and continue to provide essential support to those in need.

Let's Talk

Contact us to schedule a meeting

Latest News
Days
Hours
Minutes