Today, we’re delving deeper into a prime way to mine your clients and donors for data – surveys. We’ve all taken them at one point or another, but what makes a survey successful?

Data is everywhere you turn! It’s in the emails you receive, the dashboard of your car, and even the nutrition label on your yogurt. It can feel fairly overwhelming, especially when you must gather information, sort relevant data from filler, and then determine how to best use your newly discovered facts and figures. It’s enough to give you a headache! To ease the pain, we’re giving you a few easy ways to gather useful data in everyday situations.

Infographics are the visual representations of important facts and figures. Using eye-catching colors and images can make content more memorable, engaging, and easy to understand. When you need to get a point across to potential donors, supporters, or clients, constructing an infographic may be the answer.

We utilize the Internet so much on a day to day basis that we sometimes take its immensity and helpfulness for granted – that is, until our WiFi cuts out, and we rush to the nearest Starbucks to reconnect and normalize our lives again. The vastness of the World Wide Web can be overwhelming, and while it’s sometimes difficult to sift through the sheer amount of information you can glean from an hour’s worth of research, the web can also connect you to useful tips, helpful data, and even potential employees, mentors, or donors. We’ve compiled a list of valuable websites to help you navigate the Web’s plethora of resources.

Building a more meaningful nonprofit board is a critical task for organizations striving to make a lasting impact on their communities and causes.

Success looks different for every nonprofit. This blog breaks down how direct service, volunteer-based, and advocacy organizations can define and measure impact—while staying grounded in achievable goals.

This blog shares four key principles of information design to help nonprofits turn raw data into clear, compelling visuals for funders, stakeholders, and community members.

This blog explains why every nonprofit—especially new and growing ones—needs a strategic plan and evaluation framework. Learn how to set clear goals, build a path forward, and measure the impact of your work.

Board meetings don’t have to be long, awkward, or inefficient. This blog offers practical tips for leading effective nonprofit board meetings that build engagement, accountability, and momentum—with just a hint of humor.

Letters of Interest (LOIs) help nonprofits introduce their mission and funding needs before submitting a full proposal. This blog walks you through what an LOI is, why funders use them, and how to write one that gets noticed—with step-by-step tips and examples from the Mockingbird Analytics team.

This blog explores why evaluation is essential for nonprofits of all sizes—especially smaller ones. It breaks down how tracking outcomes builds trust, informs strategy, and strengthens fundraising, while addressing the fears and challenges of diving into data for the first time.

Let’s explore the difference between Logic Models and Theory of Change and why Theory of Change is a more effective tool for nonprofits looking to define their goals, measure their impact, and communicate their value to funders.

Happy New Year! Now that grandma’s Christmas fudge has been devoured and the confetti’s been swept away, it’s time to dive into 2019. Before we get down to business, we’d like to take a misty, nostalgia-laden look back at what we achieved last year.

Where did the year go? It’s already December, and you're not alone if you’re marveling at how quickly 2017 has passed before our eyes. Before we ring in the New Year with celebratory champagne and a round of Auld Lang Syne, let’s take a look back at how this year has shaped up for Mockingbird Analytics and nonprofit giving as a whole.