From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests
IMAGE DESCRIPTION
Two-tone dark blue and teal image with a Training Institute logo on the top left. Below the logo is the following text: From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests with Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom. On the right is a circular headshot of Carrie Lou, a smiling white woman with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, wearing a black blouse and glasses, with a white pillar behind her.
Strong funding proposals require more than a compelling mission—they also need clear evidence of community needs, organizational reach, and program impact. This practical training will help deaf-led organizations understand what kinds of data can strengthen a funding request, how to collect that information responsibly and accessibly, and how to combine quantitative data with community stories. Participants will learn approachable strategies for documenting needs, describing who they serve, tracking program reach and results, and using that information to develop stronger grant narratives and funding requests.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Build a clear argument
- Utilize existing data
- Convert data into a strong need statement
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Carrie Lou Bloom, PhD, is Director of the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes and a faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin. With experience securing more than $42 million in grant funding, she brings extensive expertise in using data, research, and community needs to build compelling cases for investment. Her work focuses on improving education and career opportunities for deaf people by examining where systems fail—and changing the systems, not deaf people.
