How we use shared data to inform policy, strengthen systems, and improve outcomes for children and families in our region.
For over 15 years, United Way for Greater Austin has utilized high-quality data to inform programs, understand community needs, guide funding and policy decisions, and measure impact across Central Texas. By expanding access to reliable, up-to-date information, we support better decision-making, spark dialogue, and reduce disparities. To advance this work, United Way develops and maintains regional, interactive data hubs that aggregate and visualize key indicators related to early childhood, economic advancement, and resource navigation.
Through public-facing dashboards, targeted analyses, and programmatic tools, we share community insights with civic leaders, nonprofit partners, educators, and advocates. These data help strengthen systems advancing our mission to break economic barriers and create opportunity for all.
Program Design and Implementation
For all of our United Way programming, we track, visualize, and analyze our data in detailed ways to provide program staff with the information needed to ensure service delivery is high quality and expected outcomes are achieved. For example, in maternal and postpartum health, United Way is analyzing Family Connects and Pathways Community HUB data in uniquely comprehensive ways, providing regular visibility into who we are serving, where we may be experiencing program challenges, and where families are receiving and needing support.
Understanding Community Need
United Way is continuously gathering, analysing, and distributing programmatic, as well as community and public data to inform partner organizations where the greatest needs lie. This might include our Success By 6 or 2-Gen for Economic Advancement Coalition data, or the Navigation team’s 211 helpline and ConnectCTX data to inform partner organizations where the greatest needs lie.
“Data from our 211 needs dashboard keeps us connected to what families are experiencing so our engagement is guided by real community needs,” said Leslie Tufino, Community Resource and Engagement Senior Manager at United Way. “If we can show policymakers that more of our neighbors are requesting food and housing than ever, we can make the case for more funding to those services.”
For top-requested resources like food, our team keeps key partners up-to-date on request volume. Take the top food partner, Greater Mt. Zion. Our team not only communicates with theirs to ensure we have the latest information to share with 211 callers, but we let their team know the impact they’re making, helping strengthen relationships.
Another top need is rental assistance. By equipping partner Austin Public Health’s Neighborhood Services team with their referral data, they can make a strong case for additional funding and staffing as needs for rent assistance continue to rise.
Strengthening Resource Allocation and Grantmaking
Data is central to our grantmaking and community impact work. Through shared reports, dashboards, and data conversations, coalition and public health partners, educators, and Community Health Workers use insights to guide strategic planning, identify service gaps, and improve programs.
United Way created the Family Support Network dashboard with our partners to strengthen outreach efforts. The dashboard shows where eligible families may live, what community assets are available, and how many families are already participating in home‑visiting and parent‑education programs. It also gives partners a shared tool to coordinate and align their outreach and recruitment efforts.
Our data also supports nonprofits pursuing funding. Partners utilize tools such as our public 211 map and custom data requests to enhance needs assessments, demonstrate impact, and align their services with the best grant opportunities for them.
Informing and Shaping Policy
High-quality early care and education is essential to children’s long-term success. We know gaps exist in early care in our region, but making the case for change requires more than anecdotes. Our early childhood data equips city councilmembers and county commissioners with a clear, evidence-based picture of the early care and education landscape.
Take the Success By 6 data. Each year, the coalition shares community metrics that help leaders allocate funding. Key data points include Kindergarten readiness statistics broken down by race, household income, and language, as well as broader social services.
“Thanks to community-level data, we can share which families need early education support most and provide county budget recommendations based on numbers,” said Barbara Grant Boneta, Director of Austin/Travis County Success By 6.
Measuring Impact
Every United Way initiative and coalition is evaluated for impact to ensure resources are used effectively, and programs meaningfully improve outcomes for the communities we serve. In addition to monthly dashboards, we publish annual reports for various programs, including Family Connects and Pre-K Partnerships.
In addition to publishing annual progress towards coalition goals and metrics, United Way is also evaluating the overall well-being and effectiveness of its coalitions. Through an annual Coalition Well-Being Survey we evaluate four constructs known to impact collective impact initiatives – coalition relationships, community engagement, leadership and governance, and backbone support. Last year, across all our coalitions, overall, 83% of survey respondents Strongly Agreed or Agreed that coalition relationships, community engagement, leadership and governance, and backbone support are effective in advancing the work of the coalition.
Why Data Sharing Matters More Than Ever
As community needs grow, data is essential for planning, storytelling, and advocacy. It helps organizations coordinate efforts, focus resources, and clearly communicate community challenges to decision-makers.
Data turns guesswork into strategy, strengthening relationships, increasing transparency, and making impact visible. By continuing to share data openly, we can make smart decisions and drive lasting systemic change across Greater Austin. One way we will continue advancing this work is by developing and maintaining regional, interactive data hubs that bring together key early‑childhood, economic‑advancement, and resource‑navigation indicators for Central Texas.
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