Using Data to Get Measurable Results
Too often, program managers view data collection and reporting as nothing more than an administrative requirement imposed by funders. However, particularly in a climate of growing need and shrinking resources, data is a critical management tool that helps communities better understand where efforts are achieving the desired impact and, in contrast, where changes are needed to improve results.
Following are ten essential resources to help communities improve their data quality and use data more effectively to make policy, funding, and program design decisions.
Performance Measurement of Homeless Systems from HUD HRE, reviews new performance measures outlined in HEARTH and which of their programs impact each measure.
What Gets Measured, Gets Done: A Toolkit on Performance Measurement for Ending Homelessness is an overview of Performance Measurement 101 for providers and CoC leads from the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Making the Most of HMIS Data: A Guide to Understanding Homelessness and Improving Programs in Your Community , from HUD's HMIS portal, provides practical guidance on how communities and homeless assistance providers can use the data stored in HMIS to improve homeless assistance programs and better serve homeless persons.
Building Knowledge, Effectiveness, and Capacity: Advancing Data on Homelessness in Eleven Communities from HUD HRE provides case studies on how these communities creatively used their HMIS data to make significant change in their programs and outcomes.
The Community Perspective: Using Research and Technology to Identify Effective Solutions to Prevent and End Homelessness from HUD's HMIS portal, highlights best practices in communities that are using HMIS to identify the nature and extent of homelessness.
Demonstrating the Uses of Homeless Data at the Local Level from HUD's convening of HMIS Users in 2007, provides nine case studies on ways communities are using HMIS data to drive performance.
From Intake to Analysis: A Toolkit for Developing a Continuum of Care Data Quality Plan is a resource from HUD HRE to be used by CoC leads and providers to ensure a plan for data quality - the first step to making the most from HMIS data gathered.
Enhancing HMIS Data Quality from HUD's HMIS portal describes program and system level strategies to improve data quality for all levels of staff members in CoCs.
HMIS Self-Assessment Tool is an interactive resource from HUD's HMIS portal for providers to determine if they comply with HUD data standards and grant guidelines.
HMIS Budget and Staffing Toolkit from HUD's HMIS portal provides an overview of eligible activities that can be funded within SHP budget categories, presents a variety of funding strategies, and discusses alternative staffing models.
