Strengthening Your Proposals with a Data Collection Strategy

Without question, organizations seeking funding have confidence in their projects and programs, but convincing funders of their worthiness is challenging. Adding the data you will collect to measure and report on effectiveness and impact, even if not requested, strengthens the proposal. Using both quantitative and qualitative data creates a well-rounded proposal, improving the chances of success and providing useful data for evaluation and improvement.

Quantitative data is expressed in words that you can count or measure. Think of "quantity" to answer the question of "how much" or "how many" to describe the project or program. This data can include statistics, charts, graphs, and other numerical data.

Here are some examples of quantitative data for entrepreneurship workshops:

• Number of participants who attended the workshop

• Demographic information of the participants (age, gender, occupation, etc.)

• Pre- and post-workshop assessments of participants' knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship

• Number of participants who expressed interest in starting their own business after attending the workshop

• Time spent on each topic covered in the workshop

• Number of activities completed by each participant during the workshop

Qualitative data is generally non-numerical and is collected through methods such as interviews, observations, focus groups, and surveys. Qualitative data addresses the question of "how well" to describe the project or program, and can include personal stories, anecdotes, case studies, and observations.  Examples of qualitative data for entrepreneurship workshops include:

• Participants' feedback on the workshop through open-ended survey questions or interviews.

• Personal stories and experiences shared by participants during the workshop

• Observations of the workshop facilitators on the participants' engagement and participation.

• Focus group discussions with participants to explore their perceptions and attitudes towards entrepreneurship.

Qualitative data is commonly categorized into themes and used to measure changes in attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, values, behaviors, and other subjective experiences. However, it can also be expressed numerically by using ratings scales in surveys (e.g., Likert Scales), where participants rate their agreement with statements about a workshop's impact (e.g., "the workshop helped develop my entrepreneurial skills"). These numerical values provide insights into participants' subjective experiences and perceptions (76% of participants agreed that the workshops helped develop their entrepreneurial skills). 

Using both qualitative and quantitative data in funding proposals can help to strengthen the proposal, demonstrate the effectiveness of your proposed solution, and increase the likelihood of being awarded funding.  You will also have valuable information to evaluate your programs!