Coffee & Quality

The Support Hub helps nonprofits turn data questions into practical decisions. Whether you are developing a survey, analyzing program data, figuring out what to measure, or you are just getting your program started, we are here to help you take the next step with confidence. The Support Hub is a partnership between United Way of Greater Houston’s Coffee & Quality and Rice University’s School of Social Sciences Master of Social Policy Evaluation. Through the Support Hub, nonprofit organizations can submit specific data and evaluation questions and connect with our trusted, two-person team for guidance, problem-solving support and access to trusted data sources and academic research.

The Support Hub exists to support all nonprofit organizations in the greater Houston area. No matter your role or the size of your organization, the Support Hub will help guide you through finding a solution to your data and evaluation challenges.

Have a data or evaluation question, but aren’t sure where to begin? The Support Hub is designed to help nonprofit teams think through questions like:

• What are we trying to learn, understand, or improve?
• What data do we already have, and what else might we need?
• How can we make sense of our data and use it to support decision-making?
• What is a practical next step for our team?
• How can I communicate my findings to various stakeholders?
• Who else might be able to help if our question needs more specialized support?

Complete the short request form below to tell us what you are working on and what kind of support would be most helpful. A member of the Support Hub team will contact you to learn more, clarify your needs, and identify a practical next step.

After your request is submitted, a staff member of our team will contact you within 3 business days to schedule a 30-minute conversation.

The purpose of the conversation is to clarify your needs and help determine next steps. These conversations will be unique to each submission and will meet you where you are in your process.

After the conversation, a summary of the conversation along with any applicable resources to assist you move forward with your project. Depending on the scope of the request, additional follow-up meetings may be scheduled.

The Support Hub is staffed by a two-person team passionate about helping nonprofit organizations strengthen their data and evaluation practices and use what they learn to maximize their impact.

Kristen brings more than 10 years of nonprofit experience and a strong background in data, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement to her new role at United Way of Greater Houston.  Her goal is to help organizations turn complex questions into clear, practical next steps while keeping the process approachable and grounded in real-world nonprofit capacity. Kristen’s work is collaborative, thoughtful, and encouraging, with a focus on helping teams build confidence using data to learn, decide, and improve.

2^nd team member at Rice University is currently being brewed to perfection.

• Is there a cost to work with the Support Hub?
  • No. Support Hub services are provided at no cost to nonprofit organizations in the greater Houston area. There could be instances where the scope of the question is beyond the Support Hub’s mission. In those instances, a recommendation to qualified evaluation consultants or other resources will be offered.
• What types of projects and questions can you help answer?
  • We can support nonprofits at any stage of their data and evaluation journey, whether you’re just getting started or refining an existing process. Common topics include:
    • Identifying meaningful outcomes and measures
    • Logic model development
    • Survey design and feedback
    • Evaluation planning and road mapping
    • Continuous quality improvement strategies
    • Reviewing and strengthening existing data collection processes
    • Data visualization and reporting
    • Finding tools, templates, research, and other resources
    • Interpreting findings and communicating results to stakeholders
• Does the Support Hub assist with full scale evaluations?
  • The Support Hub does not provide full-service evaluations or long-term project implementation. However, we can help you design an evaluation approach, review your plans, troubleshoot challenges, and connect you with qualified evaluation consultants or other resources when appropriate.
• What if I’m not sure what I need?
  • That’s okay. We’ll help you clarify your question and identify a practical next step.
• Do I need to have data already?
  • No. Whether you’re just getting started or already deep into a project, we’re happy to help.
• Who will help me with my data and evaluation question?
  • A member of the Support Hub team will review your submission and contact you within three business days. You’ll work with staff members who have experience supporting nonprofits in data, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement.