The Common Good Data Podcast
The podcast for nonprofit and public sector leaders looking to use data and evaluation strategies to build effective and sustainable programs in the areas of prevention, mental health, human services, and education.
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Telling the story of the impact of your organization is critical to gaining support—from volunteers to donors to multi-year grants. But using data to show your impact can be challenging.
Learn how the best organizations build a culture of data that impresses funders, wins competitive grants, and changes the lives of individuals and communities.
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Drew Reynolds
Cohost
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Roger Suclupe
Cohost
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Listen to past renditions of the podcast:
Moving at the Speed of Trust: Building Ethical Data Systems with Sydney Idzikowski
In this episode of the Common Good Data Podcast, Roger and Drew are joined by Sydney Idzikowski, Associate Director of the Charlotte Regional Data Trust, for a deep dive into how integrated data systems can “move at the speed of trust.”
Together, they unpack what administrative data is, why it so often remains siloed across agencies, and how the Data Trust works to securely connect information from sectors like housing, education, and public health.
Sydney shares how building trust—amid privacy concerns and data surveillance fears—is central to effective data sharing, and explains the governance, legal, and technical frameworks that make it possible.
Sydney has been at the helm of turning fragmented agency data into a single, trusted resource for research, planning, and evaluation. From linking school records to shelter stays, to mapping out the pathways of people who’ve experienced homelessness – she’ll share real‑world stories that show how data can drive policy changes that actually help people.
How to Close Gaps in Healthcare Access
Every day, millions of people in our communities face an impossible situation. They’re stuck in a gap—unable to afford health insurance but also not qualifying for federal assistance. It’s a harsh reality, leaving many with nowhere to turn when they need care the most.
In Cabarrus County, North Carolina, the Community Free Clinic is stepping up to fill that gap. Led by Laura Lyerly, the clinic provides not only vital healthcare services but also a data-driven approach to understanding and meeting client needs.
Bridging Housing and Health with Jeff Smythe
Housing has become a silent crisis that's reshaping lives across America, with each rising rent bill and rejected application chipping away at people's sense of stability and hope.
In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jeffrey Smythe, executive director of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), to explore a different approach to rental assistance.
Jeff explains his innovative technology solution that's changing how people access housing support, the critical connection between housing and health, and how nonprofits can build strong partnerships to tackle this challenge.