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In this thought-provoking episode of Cause & Purpose, data scientist and impact strategist Andrew Means joins Mike Spear to expose critical gaps in how the social sector uses data and evaluation. Drawing from his vast experience in the sector, Andrew reveals how many nonprofits are "flying blind"—lacking even basic data infrastructure to make strategic decisions.
He shares practical frameworks like the "data hierarchy of needs" and emphasizes that data democratization, not expensive consultants, is the key to transformation. The discussion evolves into a broader critique of traditional philanthropy and a vision for evidence-based giving.
Andrew explains why he joined Altruous as an advisor, seeing it as uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between oversimplified ratings and inaccessible academic research. He emphasizes that with potential government funding cuts ahead, organizations that can prove their impact through data will thrive while others struggle.
Throughout, both hosts challenge the sector's resistance to general operating support, overhead myth, and top-down funding approaches. The episode concludes with Andrew's compelling case for transparency, acknowledging uncertainty in evaluations, and focusing on the only metric that truly matters: whether beneficiaries are actually better off.
