From Stories to Strategy: Getting Started with Data, Evaluation, & Learning for Community Programs

Grant Writing & Data Collection

Community-based and nonprofit organizations increasingly need to demonstrate outcomes, track progress, and learn from their work in order to strengthen programs and communicate impact to funders and partners. However, many leaders and practitioners have limited time, resources, or formal training in evaluation and data collection. This session provides a practical, introductory overview of how nonprofits can begin using data, evaluation, and learning in manageable and meaningful ways. Participants will learn the fundamentals of defining program goals, identifying simple outcomes, selecting easy-to-use data-collection tools, and using results to reflect on and improve their programs. The presenter will share basic examples from youth, workforce, and community programs to illustrate how data can support program improvement, strengthen grant applications, and enhance accountability. The session will also briefly address culturally responsive evaluation practices, ethical considerations, and ways to ensure that data and learning reflect community voice, cultural relevance, and the lived experiences of underserved communities rather than compliance alone. Designed as a foundational workshop, this session equips participants with a clear starting point, simple tools, and practical guidance they can apply immediately to strengthen programs, improve services, and tell more compelling stories about their impact.

Rosio Bugarin Pedroso

Rosio Bugarin Pedroso is the Principal of Pedroso Consulting and currently serves as Director of Community, Continuing, Corporate Education and Grants (Noncredit) at Gavilan College, where she leads innovative, grant-funded programs that expand access, workforce pathways, and lifelong learning opportunities for diverse adult learners and community members. Before launching her consulting practice, Rosio spent over a decade working in research and evaluation across the public and private sectors, supporting K–12 districts, community colleges, universities, and public agencies. Her work has included designing evaluation frameworks, managing state and federal grant reporting, and building data systems that strengthen accountability, learning, and program sustainability, particularly in programs serving underserved and historically marginalized communities. Through Pedroso Consulting, she has continued to partner with academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to support program design, impact measurement, and continuous improvement. Rosio is recognized for her ability to make data practical, culturally relevant, and accessible for nonprofit leaders, practitioners, and emerging professionals. She is deeply committed to advancing equity through culturally responsive program design, ethical evaluation practices, and communitycentered learning that honors lived experience and strengthens community impact.