How can data improve grant writing and education evaluation?

1 Why data matters

Data is not just numbers or facts. It is evidence that demonstrates your needs, goals, outcomes, and achievements. Data can help you identify problems, gaps, opportunities, and solutions in your educational context. Data can also help you communicate your story, justify your budget, and persuade your audience. Data can make your grant proposals more credible, relevant, and compelling.

2 How to collect data

Before you start writing your grant proposal, you need to collect data that relates to your project or program. You can use different sources and methods to gather data, such as surveys, interviews, tests, observations, documents, and records. You can also use existing data from research, reports, or statistics. You should choose data that is reliable, valid, and relevant to your objectives and questions. You should also organize, analyze, and interpret your data to make sense of it.

3 How to use data

When crafting a grant proposal, it's important to use data effectively. Data can be used to define the problem or need, set SMART goals and objectives, describe methods and activities, and evaluate results and impact. For example, data can show the magnitude, scope, and causes of the issue you want to address, compare your situation with others or with standards or benchmarks, justify choices and decisions regarding methods and activities, estimate resources, costs, and timelines, measure progress and outcomes, assess effectiveness and efficiency, and demonstrate impact and value.

4 How to present data

Presenting your data effectively can make a big difference in how your grant proposal is received and evaluated. You can present your data using narrative, tables, charts, or infographics. When doing so, be sure to be clear and concise, relevant and selective, and honest and ethical. Use simple and accurate language that is free of jargon, acronyms, or technical terms. Include only data that supports your main points and arguments, and cite sources when appropriate. Additionally, avoid data that is irrelevant, redundant, or contradictory to your purpose. By doing so, you can ensure that your data will be presented in a way that is engaging and informative.

5 How to improve your data skills

Data is a powerful tool for grant writing and education evaluation, however, it is not enough to just possess data. To maximize the potential of data, you need to have the skills to collect, use, and present data effectively. To do this, you can learn from others by reading and reviewing grant proposals and education evaluations that utilize data well. Additionally, you can seek feedback or advice from experts or peers who have data skills. Practicing with data in your everyday work or projects as well as trying different data sources, methods, and tools can also help you learn. Taking courses or workshops that teach data skills or looking for resources or materials that can help you learn data skills are other great options. When used correctly, data can improve your grant writing and education evaluation skills by providing evidence, clarity, and credibility; thus increasing your chances of securing funding and improving your educational practice.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?