What is Demographics via Candid? How can my nonprofit participate?
Demographics via Candid allows nonprofits to share vital demographic information about their organizations, one time (a concept we think of as Data1x), on their Candid profile where funders, researchers, donors, and other stakeholders can easily access it. We encourage you to share your demographic data by claiming and updating your Candid profile.
Table of contents:
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Why should my nonprofit participate?
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How can my nonprofit get started?
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What happens after I share this information? Is it required?
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I have more questions – who can I ask?
Why should my nonprofit participate?
- Save valuable staff time and relieve the data-request burden: Funders are increasingly asking for demographic data during the application process. Instead of compiling this data for each request, you can report your organization’s demographic information one time, in a standardized format, on your Candid profile, which you can then easily share with a unique link.
- Increase your visibility with funders: Funders are looking for ways to incorporate equity into their funding practices, which includes supporting organizations in which the leadership and staff are representative of the communities they seek to serve. Demographics via Candid helps funders more easily discover such organizations.
- Show your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion: One of the great ways to demystify our work as nonprofits is to show what we’re made of: people. What makes them unique is what makes our organizations unique.
- Gain free access to Foundation Directory Essential: Through our Go for Gold! promotion, nonprofits with revenue or expenses under $1M are eligible to receive a complimentary annual subscription to Foundation Directory Essential when you earn a 2024 Gold Seal of Transparency on your Candid profile. Contributing demographic data at the leadership level is required for achieving a Gold Seal of Transparency.
- Strengthen the nonprofit sector with insights based on data: Candid is committed to making demographic data freely available so funders, researchers, donors, and other stakeholders can create a social sector that’s more efficient, effective, and equitable.
How can my nonprofit get started?
Before you begin, confirm your organization has a Candid profile (or is eligible for one), then:
Step 1: Start by getting agreement to participate in collecting and sharing demographics data from your leader (e.g., CEO/Executive Director)
Step 2: Claim or log in to your nonprofit profile.
Step 3: Create a demographics survey for your staff and board. For guidance, consult our Help Guide, which provides standard demographic survey questions and best practices.
Step 4: Follow this “how to” guide for inputting the data gathered into your organization’s profile.
Dive in to this topic with these Candid courses:
- Why and how to collect demographic data for your organization: Learn why collecting and sharing demographic data matters and how to get started.
- Four free ways to access Candid’s demographic data: Learn what demographic data is available via Candid and how you can access this data via four different free tools: Candid profiles on GuideStar, the Demographics via Candid dashboard, a downloadable file upon request. and via Candid’s free demographic’s API.
What happens after I share this information? Is it required?
The information you report on your Candid profile is publicly available and is contributed voluntarily. While organizations are encouraged to provide as complete information as possible, we recognize that there are sensitivities to collecting and sharing this information publicly. For that reason, individuals within your organization have the option to "Decline to state" on any question.
I have more questions – who can I ask?
Our customer support team is available at support@candid.org, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, to help nonprofits claim their profiles and answer any questions that arise along the way.
You can also take a free, online course to learn how to claim your nonprofit’s Candid profile and leverage the Seals of Transparency to amplify your organization’s work and connect with potential supporters.
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