Every day, people around the world generate an estimated 402.74 million terabytes of data. That’s enough to hold more than 3 billion copies of Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited! This data fuels tools we use daily, like personalized ads, medical diagnostics, and face recognition apps.

For organizations like Daily Work, data offers powerful ways to understand our impact and improve our programs to serve job seekers more effectively. While tech companies lead in using data to solve problems, nonprofits can also use these tools to make better decisions without needing an enormous budget.

What Makes Data Useful for Nonprofits?
One key difference between nonprofits and businesses is how we use our profit: we reinvest it into our mission. That means we can apply the same data strategies used in the private sector to create social good.

For example, we could use a method called "survival analysis," a way to look at how long it takes an event to occur. It is commonly used to predict employee termination and machine failure. In our case, we might use it to study how long it takes different groups of job seekers to find employment. This could help us spot patterns and tailor our services appropriately (e.g. if our analysis shows that reliable transportation increases employability at a higher rate than English proficiency, we could consult the job seeker about prioritizing goals related to mobility. This could be fine-tuned to demographics and other factors.

Another use of data analysis would be to create a model that suggests the industry, employer, location, and salary for job seekers based on previous successful applications, helping in concentrating effort into favorable job applications.

However, numbers don’t tell the full story, which is why our case managers write comprehensive notes that capture the unique and personal effects of structural barriers during our personal one-to-one appointments. This written data helps case managers deliver timely and individualized care.

We can use sentiment analysis to evaluate the emotional tone expressed in case notes, helping us better understand both job seekers’ experiences and case managers’ responses. This can strengthen our training by preparing interns for the emotional complexity of social service work, highlighting moments of stress, success, and growth to build self-awareness and resilience.

Why It Matters at Daily Work
We’re committed to helping job seekers overcome social barriers to stable and meaningful employment. To do that, we have to ask ourselves:

• Are we doing what we promise to do?
• Does what we do truly help people?
• Are we making a lasting difference in the communities we built our programs for?

Answering these questions takes more than compelling stories, it requires evidence grounded in practice and data. At Daily Work, we strive to stay current with social science research, economic trends, and proven approaches in employment and human services. We are fortunate to be guided by experienced social workers on our staff and board, whose expertise informs our comprehensive, person-centered model. Our capacity is further strengthened by skilled volunteers, who bring valuable knowledge in data collection, evaluation, and Lean Six Sigma, an approach that emphasizes process improvement, efficiency, and data-informed decision-making. Their contributions help ensure we are continually refining our work for greater impact and accountability.

The Challenges Are Real…
Some nonprofits have plenty of data but don’t use it—either because it’s disorganized, hard to access, or not maintained consistently. Others struggle with data quality due to human error, missing records, or outdated systems.

At Daily Work, we face the added challenge of a rotating team of interns and volunteers, coupled with a highly individualized, comprehensive approach to supporting job seekers. This complexity makes consistent data collection more challenging and more essential. To address this, we conduct regular data audits to ensure accuracy and integrity. These efforts help us better serve job seekers, meet legal and funder requirements, and produce reliable reports that guide thoughtful decisions.

You Can Help!
We have so many exciting ideas for using data more creatively and effectively, if only we had more people to help implement them! With a small staff and ever-changing team, there’s always room for improvement, and volunteers play a critical role in helping us strengthen our systems, track progress, and increase our impact.

Are you skilled in database management, research, or program evaluation? We’d love your help—whether you’re a volunteer, intern, or just someone passionate about making a difference.

Know someone who fits the bill? Please share this blog with them!

Not into data? No problem! 
We rely on volunteers and interns for all kinds of support, including social media, website updates, case management, administrative tasks, and committee service. If you believe in the power of work to transform lives and build stronger communities, there’s a place for you at Daily Work.

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Together, we’re building a community where everyone has the opportunities and connections to shape their future.

Photo Credit: Claudiu Constantin on Unsplash

By Omar Fitian, rising senior at St. Olaf College studying Sociology/Anthropology and Computer Science. Read more about Omar here.