GivingData Version 2 is Here
We’re pleased to announce the release of GivingData Version 2 (GDv2), the first full version release since our very successful product launch last year. With GDv2, we’ve continued to build upon our data platform, offering improved functionality, design, and performance. Version 1 of GivingData featured visually rich dashboard and data visualization tools providing innovative ways to view, analyze, and drive decisions from grants data in your grants management system. With Version 2 we take a big first step into incorporating relevant data from outside your organization’s walls.
GDv2 offers up a few notable enhancements, including the following:
- New Map Visualizations and Geocoding Services
- External Grantee Data Integration
- New Look and Feel
- Performance and System Architecture Improvements
Our focus in these areas can be attributed to the evolving needs of our clients as well as the exciting developments we’re seeing on the data and data visualization landscape. Specifically, the integration of map technologies and publicly available datasets is sparking our development efforts in ways we couldn’t imagine when we first began. Additionally, the field of data visualization and business intelligence continues to evolve and inspire our ongoing development of the GivingData platform. It really is exciting to be working in this arena. And it’s exciting to deploy these new capabilities for grantmaking organizations and see the value that they can bring to the field of philanthropy.
Below are details on the key feature upgrades in GivingData Version 2, which is available immediately, free of charge, to all clients.
New Map Visualizations and Geocoding Services
Our first map-based data visualization is the Cluster Map, now available in the Visualizer module. This innovative new feature provides unprecedented geographically-based views of your grants and grantee data, indicating the location of the grantee and the size of the grant(s) made to that grantee in a given date range. Grants are displayed in color as well, allowing for different programs, for example, to appear as different colors on the map. So for instance, if you want to see which programs are being funded where and how much within a state, city, or even neighborhood, you could get a very clear picture of all of that grantmaking activity on a map. And as with all visualizations in the Visualizer, you can drill down into any program or code to see sub code data as well.
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Integrated External Grantee Data Integration
Grantee data is some of the most important data a grantmaking organization has. A full picture of a grantee consists of past grants made, requests up for consideration, contact and location information, financial data, tax returns, and much more. GDv2 introduces links to external grantee data by providing a link to the grantee’s profile on GuideStar as well as our revolutionary new geolocation context-aware map. This map shows the grantee in the context of a whole host of different boundaries, be it postal code, census track, legislative district, or many other geographic zones.
This integration with external data puts a whole new set of tools at the fingertips of grants management and program staff. Whether for due diligence activities or learning more about the geographic context of grantees, access to this external data puts a great deal more power and knowledge in your hands.
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New Look and Feel
How could we resist putting out a new version release without some design improvements? And in this case, the improvements are quite significant. With GDv2, we’ve redesigned the navigation areas of the application to make it easier to move from module to module and from feature to feature, as well as putting front and center your organization’s visual identity and logo. Also, we’ve completely changed the way we present information on the Organization/Grantee Detail page, incorporating the new map views (described above) as well as reorganizing the page to make it more readable and easier to use. And site administrators will like the improved and more intuitive ways of managing budget and program expense data.
Refining the design is something we’re always working on in GivingData. Without an emphasis on design and usability, we would not be able to present complex data in such easy to read formats.
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Performance and System Architecture Improvements
Under the hood, so to speak, we have continued to make tremendous strides in improving GivingData’s speed, as well as improving the underlying systems architecture of the platform. This is the work that you as the end user never fully see, but no doubt appreciate by having content and data that loads quickly and reliably.
And it’s not just speed where gains are realized. We have been working on implementing GivingData in the nHibernate framework, improving the quality of the software platform as well as making it more extensible for integrating data from and into other applications.