Understanding Data to Improve Programs Better Serve Community

Located on the near east side of Indianapolis, Shepherd Community Center helps individuals and families in their neighborhood break the cycle of poverty. The organization’s youth programs include a daycare, a pre-school, a grade school (K-5), afterschool, and summer programs, as well as employment programs for middle school and high school students. Shepherd’s adult programs provide education, employment and financial coaching, and food and housing supports.

The organization collects a substantial amount of data from its neighbors and programs through multiple software systems and databases mandated by the United Way and the State of Indiana. However, each system limits what data can be collected, poses reporting challenges, and lacks integration with the others. As a result, analyzing and using the data requires significant cleaning and reorganization.

Currently, data is extracted monthly, with key insights shared across staff, senior leadership, and the Board to assess program impact, improve operations, and inform strategic direction. Marketing teams also use this data to communicate outcomes to donors, government agencies, and institutional funders. In some cases, custom reports are developed to meet specific stakeholder needs.

Bridge Builder Strategies is actively partnering with Shepherd to address workforce capacity challenges that directly impact their ability to manage and act on this data. Together, we’re working to streamline internal systems, realign staff roles to match strategic needs, and build sustainable practices that support data-informed decision-making. The collaboration is ongoing and grounded in Shepherd’s mission to uplift their community through responsive, effective service.

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