In the private sector, as the pace of innovation has accelerated, so too has the use of data to drive decision-making. The for-profit sector has long embraced technology and tools to capture and use data to better serve their customers.

Individual donors are a powerful force for promoting better research and development, or R&D, practices and ensuring that the social sector is not left behind in our rapidly evolving world. As you think about your next charitable contributions or your role as a board member with a nonprofit organization, here are five tips to help close this critical gap for those causes you care most about.

  1. Get Curious You occupy a unique perch in the social sector. The questions you ask, especially about innovation and outcomes, can drive real change. You can send a powerful message that impact, along with efficiently-run organizations, are a powerful combination.
  2. Invest in Learning Most innovative businesses invest 10-14% in R&D and consider these efforts a core part of staying relevant with their customers. In the social sector, we don’t yet have that equivalent practice. Instead, we seem to want outcomes for communities without investing in R&D.
  3. Promote Continuous Practice A continuous process—integrated with decision making and operations and connected to learning and strategic goals—will drive better quality and impact over time.
  4. Say What? Don’t Let Language Be the Barrier The language of R&D and evidence building can be confusing, overly academic and sometimes overwhelming. Don’t be put off.
  5. Be Realistic There are many well-intended organizations, who are “constructively dissatisfied” with the programs they offer and are committed to improvement on behalf of those they serve and those who fund them.

Read the full article about data and research can drive impact by Kelly Fitzsimmons at Charity Navigator.