Data Work Is More Than Just Numbers: CTData’s Strategic Planning Service Brings Nonprofits Together

To celebrate two years of helping organizations across Connecticut strengthen their data work, CTData Collaborative’s Data Strategic Planning (DSP) program hosted a gathering of nonprofit organizations and government agencies that have completed the Data Strategic Planning initiative. Professionals working in social services, public health, legal aid, education, public libraries, housing, museums, historic preservation, and more came together at the beautiful Mercy by the Sea retreat center in Madison. They gathered to share what they have learned and how their organizations have grown through data work.

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Equity in Data Community of Practice | Check Before You Chat: A Guide to Evaluating Generative AI Tools

Our May Community of Practice session focused on evaluating generative AI tools with a risk-aware lens, highlighting key considerations like data handling, model transparency, and ethical safeguards. We also took a look at some practical checklists and evaluation rubrics to help guide responsible AI use in the workplace.

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Strengthening Systems through Shared Data Work

Non-profit organizations rarely work alone; they are often connected to other organizations working on similar issues or providing services essential to their operations. CTData provided data literacy training and coaching sessions for each of the state’s legal service providers, helping them to develop a framework for measuring their impact. The coaching sessions with each provider also helped CTData understand the challenges faced across the legal aid system and build a framework for further research.

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Youth Voices Highlight Disparities at 2025 Hartford Youth Data Walk

On the afternoon of Tuesday May 13th, inside the historic Hall of Flags at the Connecticut State Capitol, Hartford youth took the spotlight. The 2025 Hartford Youth Data Walk, hosted by CTData, brought together young people, community leaders, nonprofit partners, and policymakers to engage with powerful, youth-led presentations rooted in local data. Click to read more.

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Equity in Data Community of Practice | Vulnerability in LGBTQ+ Data Collection

When designing surveys that include LGBTQ+ demographic questions, how do we balance the need for data with respect for privacy and identity? Our March Equity in Data Community of Practice session tackled this challenge by examining real-world examples and developing inclusive, transparent, and trustworthy data collection guidelines.

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2025 Hartford Youth Data Fellows Learn About Community-Driven Budgeting 

The 2025 Hartford Youth Data Fellows hosted members from Hartford Decides at the Swift Factory this past March, creating a powerful intersection of youth engagement, data literacy, and community activism. During this session, the Fellows learned firsthand about participatory budgeting—a democratic process that allows community members to directly decide how to allocate a portion of a public budget.

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Data at Your Fingertips

Have you ever tried downloading data across multiple years and towns, only to encounter a bunch of steps for what should be a straightforward question? We've been there too, which is why we created and recently updated our Data by Topic tool! This new and improved platform provides convenient way to access Connecticut data at state, town, county, and planning region levels.* Explore the tool with this webinar.

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New Federal DOT Policy Would Disadvantage Connecticut, Especially Our Urban Centers

Transportation infrastructure shapes not just how we move, but the economic opportunities and daily costs faced by residents. The newly confirmed U.S. Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, issued a memo on January 16th that could significantly affect the transportation landscape of the country. In this post, we examine the potential impacts of such a demographically-driven policy on Connecticut.

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Equity in Data Community of Practice | Your Feedback Can Shape the Census 

In January 2025, we held a Community of Practice session focused on the Race and Ethnicity Coding Improvement Project. The Census survey includes a write-in response option under race categories, and to better capture how people racially and ethnically self-identify, the Census Bureau is seeking feedback on its Race and Ethnicity Coding List. Submissions are due by February 18th. These changes will directly impact our understanding of community demographics in Connecticut, ensuring the data reflects the state's rich diversity.

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Team Effort: Discovery Science Center Builds Its Data Culture with CTData

Data Strategic Planning was able to transform how organizations like the SHU Discovery Science Center and Planetarium leverage their data for strategic decision-making and stakeholder engagement. Through structured workshops and personalized coaching, the program empowers nonprofits to address critical questions about their data needs while building a stronger data culture across Connecticut's public service landscape.

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Census Bureau Releases Vintage 2024 State Population Estimates

On December 19th, 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau released their vintage 2024 population estimates for the nation and states. This estimates series incorporates a methodological change to how the Census Bureau estimated net international migration, resulting in substantially higher nationwide estimates of net international migration over the last several years.

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