Anyone aware of datasets about target populations?

[devincornell]

Hello,
I am wondering if anyone is aware of datasets about target populations that nonprofits serve. By target populations I mean classifications like "mothers," "families," or "veterans," etc that nonprofits aim to serve through their activities.

Ideally it would be nice to find a dataset linking individual nonprofits to the target populations they serve, but it would also be helpful to have a of formalized list of target populations produced in a report or other type of publication.

Thank you!

[lecy]

Hi Devin -

It's a good question but a challenging one. There are no standard reporting requirements for populations served in the IRS 990 forms, and nonprofits typically don't share this data for privacy reasons. It creates a large gap in our knowledge.

You might explore some specific types of service nonprofits to see what they share. For example those serving homeless populations or food banks might create reports about demographics of clients.

Some have reporting requirements at the state level - you might look into local health clinics or schools for example.

There is no comprehensive data source on this for nonprofits that I am aware of.

You should look into 311 call line data, though. It logs requests for services at local levels. Many of the calls are referred to nonprofits. That is one of the best sources to look at demand for services.

https://www.311-data.org/

Hope this is a helpful starting point.

Jesse

[devincornell]

Thanks for the quick response @lecy! Much appreciated

I'll definitely check out the state-level reports and 311 call and I'll add another comment if I find something that may be useful for others. Thanks again!

[lecy]

Sure thing!