Series - Adaptation and agility in times of a crisis

The pandemic has shifted how (and why) organizations collect data. These non-profit leaders will tell you exactly how.

Author Jacky Habib
Some non-profit organizations are expanding their efforts to capture more data on their clientele to ensure their needs are being met holistically.

Why It Matters

As the coronavirus puts pressure on non-profits to respond to a demand in services, many who work in the sector believe changing what data they gather from clients will enable them to provide better services and ensure that some of the most vulnerable are supported during the pandemic.

This story is in partnership with Innoweave. 

During the pandemic, when most non-profit organizations were overwhelmed responding to unprecedented demand for services, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Toronto had the opposite challenge.

The organization offers a range of community services to support women and non-binary people who are criminalized as well as advocates for justice and equity in the legal system. During the pandemic, it has experienced a sharp decline in clients, who come through referral services linked to the provincial court system. 

Deborah Riddle, the executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Toronto says that because the court system has been “erratic” during lockdowns, which has led to delayed hearings, the organization has seen a decline in referrals leading to fewer participants in their programs. 

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