Summary

Since 2019, PolicyWise has led the Alberta Nonprofit Data Strategy, a collaborative initiative to build a knowledge-driven non-profit sector. Jointly funded by the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, it provides access to timely and relevant information to support the non-profit sector’s strategic use of data. The Alberta Nonprofit Data Strategy website hosts capacity-building resources, data about the sector, and other resources, including quarterly analyses.

Using Census Data to Advance Your Nonprofit is a two-part training series we developed in partnership with Statistics Canada in spring 2023. Session 1 is on census methodology, confidentiality, and census concepts and variables. Session 2 is on data products and analysis, topics selected by participants, and provides some practical exercises.

Also, in partnership with Statistics Canada, we developed Navigating Statistics Canada Nonprofit Data Webinar 1 and Using Statistics Canada General Social Statistics Data Webinar 2.

Policy & Practice Implications

• From the sessions, which include sample exercises, viewers will learn how to use Census data to support non-profits by learning about reference materials available and how to access highlight tables and data profiles.
• Viewers will learn how to better navigate non-profit data on the Statistics Canada website and about the General Social Statistics program.
• On the Alberta Nonprofit Data Strategy website, viewers will find tools and training that support non-profits to use data for impact.