DSP Alumni Event 2025

Data Strategic Planning (DSP) just turned two years old! During this time we have helped over 75 organizations increase their data capacity. As a result, we want to celebrate this work, hear about your successes, and provide you with an opportunity to brainstorm solutions on emerging challenges.

To celebrate, we are hosting a half-day Data Strategic Planning Retreat on Wednesday June 18th 2025 at Mercy by The Sea at 167 Neck Road, Madison, Connecticut. The event will begin at 9:15 AM and conclude around 1:00 PM. (A light breakfast and a hearty lunch will be provided.) 

Agenda

• 9:15 - 9:45: Networking and Breakfast 

• 9:45 - 10:00: Introductory Remarks 

• 10:00 - 11:00: Lightning Round Success Stories 

• 11:00 - 12:00: Roundtables with Facilitators (see below) 

• 12:00 - 1:00: Networking and Lunch 

• 1:00 - 3:00: Optional post-lunch activities: Utilize the retreat center for work, connect with CTData staff, network, or enjoy a walk on the beach 

Roundtable Topics and Facilitators

You will participate in two sessions and we will do our best to honor your choices. Click on facilitator’s names for links to their bios.

• What's wrong with my data visualization, and how can I fix it?
  with Jason Cheung, Director of Data and Analytics, CTData
  resources to come

• How can my organization improve how we measure our mission?
  with Chrissy Mahanna, Compass Consulting + Coaching
  resources to come

• How can we develop a communications plan to effectively share our organization's story?
  with Erica Crowley, Senior Director of Academic Programs at Trinity College Center for Hartford Engagement and Research and Partner at CM Creative; and Mary Mahoney, Digital Scholarship Strategist at Trinity College and Partner at CM Creative
  resources to come

• How can data help my organization make decisions?
  with Kate Szczerbacki, Director of Learning, Evaluation, and Capacity Building, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
  resource: Learning Agenda Template from Innovation Network, pages 25-26: https://www.innonet.org/news-insights/resources/learning-agenda-template/

• How can my organization become more data-informed, without a full-time data specialist?
  with Ellen Fugate, Data Manager, The Connecticut Project
  resources to come

• What can I do to help my staff see how data can improve our work?
  with Finn Darby-Hudgens, Director of Data Strategic Planning, CTData
  resources to come

• How can we improve our storytelling with a map?
  with Jack Dougherty, Data Strategy Coach, CTData
  resources to come

Resources

• Learning Agenda Template by Innovation Network: Learning Agenda Template

• The State of Data in The Nonprofit Sector: The_State_of_Data_in_The_Nonprofit_Sector.pdf

• Health of U.S. Nonprofits: annual-health-report-dec2024_v4.pdf

• Supporting Staff Engagement in Data Work www.ctdata.org/engaging-staff-in-data-work