TAG x Grapevine Data Grantmaking Maturity Assessment Survey

The Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) and Grapevine Data are excited to launch this assessment for grantmakers to understand their current data management maturity and identify opportunities to strengthen data strategy.The survey is based on DAMA-DMBOK (Data Management Body of Knowledge) principles.

Instructions: For each section, select the response that best describes your organization's current state. Be honest in your assessment - this will help you create a realistic roadmap for improvement.

This survey contains 22 multiple-choice questions and should take less than 5 minutes to complete.

Data Strategy & Governance

1.Does your organization have a documented data strategy?(Required.)

No formal data strategy exists

Informal understanding of data needs, but nothing documented

Basic documented strategy covering key data priorities

Comprehensive data strategy aligned with organizational mission and goals

Mature, regularly updated data strategy with clear metrics and accountability

Unsure

2.How is data governance handled in your organization?(Required.)

No formal data governance; decisions made ad-hoc

Informal data stewardship by individual staff members

Basic data policies exist but enforcement is inconsistent

Clear data governance framework with defined roles and responsibilities

Mature governance with regular review, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement

Unsure

3.Who is responsible for data-related decisions at your organization?(Required.)

No clear ownership; decisions made by whoever encounters the issue

IT department handles all data decisions

Program managers make decisions for their respective areas

Designated data stewards with clear authority and accountability

Data governance committee with representatives from all key areas

Unsure

Data Quality

4.How would you describe the quality of your organization's data?(Required.)

Significant data quality issues; unreliable for decision-making

Moderate quality issues; some data can be trusted

Generally good quality with some known issues in specific areas

High quality data with systematic monitoring and correction processes

Exceptional data quality with proactive management and continuous improvement

Unsure

5.Are there established data standards and definitions in your organization?(Required.)

No standards; each system or person uses different definitions

Informal standards that some staff follow

Basic standards documented but not consistently applied

Clear standards with regular training and enforcement

Comprehensive standards integrated into all systems and processes

Unsure

6.How does your organization handle data validation and cleansing?(Required.)

Reactive; problems addressed only when discovered

Basic manual checks performed occasionally

Regular manual validation with some automated checks

Systematic validation processes with mostly automated tools

Comprehensive automated data quality management with real-time monitoring

Unsure

Data Architecture & Integration

7.How well integrated are your organization's data systems?(Required.)

Completely siloed systems with no integration

Manual data sharing between systems (spreadsheets, exports)

Some automated integration between key systems

Well-integrated systems with standardized data flows

Fully integrated data architecture with real-time synchronization

Unsure

8.Do you have a clear understanding of your organization's data landscape?(Required.)

No documentation of data sources or systems

Basic inventory of major systems and databases

Documented data sources with some relationship mapping

Comprehensive data architecture documentation with clear data flows

Dynamic data catalog with automated discovery and lineage tracking

Unsure

9.How does your organization approach data storage and backup?(Required.)

Inconsistent storage; unreliable or no backup procedures

Basic backup procedures but not regularly tested

Regular backups with some disaster recovery planning

Robust backup and recovery procedures that are regularly tested

Comprehensive data protection with multiple recovery options and automated procedures

Unsure

Data Classification & Understanding

10.How well does your organization understand and classify the data it collects?(Required.)

No formal classification; unclear what data is collected and why

Basic awareness of data types but no systematic classification

Informal classification system with some documentation

Structured data classification with sensitivity levels and handling procedures

Comprehensive data taxonomy with automated classification and metadata management

Unsure

11.Does your organization maintain a data inventory or catalog?(Required.)

No inventory; staff unaware of all data sources and collections

Informal knowledge held by individual staff members

Basic documentation of primary data collections and sources

Comprehensive data inventory with regular updates and access controls

Dynamic data catalog with automated discovery, lineage tracking, and impact analysis

Unsure

12.How does your organization determine what data to collect?(Required.)

Data collection is ad-hoc with little strategic consideration

Data collection driven primarily by funder requirements

Some consideration of organizational needs balanced with requirements

Strategic approach aligning data collection with mission and program goals

Strategic approach aligning data collection with mission and program goals as well as rigorous data minimization principles with regular review and justification processes

Unsure

Data Security, Privacy & Legal Protection

13.How does your organization protect sensitive data?(Required.)

Minimal security measures; data easily accessible to all staff

Basic password protection and some access restrictions

Role-based access controls with documented security policies

Comprehensive security framework with regular audits and training

Advanced security measures including encryption, monitoring, and incident response

Unsure

14.How prepared is your organization to respond to legal requests for data (subpoenas, court orders)?(Required.)

No preparation; would likely over-disclose or face legal complications

Basic awareness of legal obligations but no formal procedures

General legal counsel available but no specific data response protocols

Clear procedures for legal requests with staff training and legal review

Comprehensive legal response framework with privilege assertions, data minimization, and protective measures

Unsure

15.How does your organization handle data retention, archiving, and deletion to protect clients and the organization?(Required.)

Data kept indefinitely with no systematic deletion or archiving

Informal guidelines with occasional manual cleanup

Basic retention schedule with some systematic deletion practices

Comprehensive retention policy with secure archiving and automated deletion

Strategic data lifecycle management with legal holds, privacy protection, and defensible deletion

Unsure

16.How does your organization handle particularly sensitive data (mental health records, immigration status, domestic violence history, etc.)?(Required.)

No special protections; treated same as general program data

Basic awareness of sensitivity but inconsistent handling

Some enhanced protections with staff training on sensitive data

Comprehensive policies for classifying and handling sensitive data, to include restricted access and enhanced security

Multi-layered protection with legal privilege assertions, encryption, and specialized disposal procedures

Unsure

Analytics & Reporting

17.How does your organization use data for decision-making?(Required.)

Decisions based primarily on intuition and experience

Basic reporting for compliance and funders

Regular reports inform some organizational decisions

Data-driven culture with sophisticated analytics capabilities

Advanced analytics including predictive modeling and real-time dashboards

Unsure

18.What reporting capabilities does your organization have?(Required.)

Manual reports created in spreadsheets as needed

Basic automated reports from individual systems

Regular standardized reports across key program areas

Self-service reporting tools available to staff

Advanced analytics platform with interactive dashboards and mobile access

Unsure

19.How does your organization measure program effectiveness and impact?(Required.)

Limited or no systematic measurement

Basic output tracking (numbers served, activities completed)

Outcome measurement with some impact analysis

Comprehensive impact measurement with comparison groups or benchmarks

Sophisticated impact evaluation with longitudinal tracking (change over time) and predictive capabilities

Unsure

Data Skills & Culture

20.What is the overall data literacy level in your organization?(Required.)

Limited data skills; staff uncomfortable with data

Basic spreadsheet skills among some staff

Moderate data skills with some staff able to create reports and analysis

Strong data culture with most staff comfortable using data

Data-driven organization with advanced analytical skills throughout

Unsure

21.Does your organization invest in data training and development?(Required.)

No formal data training provided

Occasional training on specific systems or tools

Regular training on data skills and best practices

Comprehensive data education program with career development paths

Continuous learning culture with external partnerships and advanced certifications

Unsure

22.How does leadership at your organization support data initiatives?(Required.)

Leadership sees data as administrative burden

Leadership recognizes importance but provides limited support

Leadership supportive but involvement is mostly reactive

Leadership actively champions data initiatives with adequate resources

Leadership fully engaged in data strategy with organization-wide commitment

Unsure

Thank you for your time and reflections.

Send me a copy of my responses via email