LEarning and Impact

Why Data Matters at the Trust

Data informs the outcomes we seek.

Insights gleaned from data are a powerful tool for understanding if an approach is working, or whether we need to reevaluate the strategy.

Quantitative and qualitative data provide a baseline of knowledge to help us continuously track progress toward our goals, strategies, equity, and systems change. Working alongside an impacted community to collect and evaluate data allows us to further understand an issue.

Our Approach to Evaluation

Our Evaluation Framework is guided by three fundamental principles: learning, equitable outcomes, and research.

Learning

We assess the impact of our grantmaking and adapt our goals, approaches, and priorities to ensure our work leads to racial equity and systems change.

Equitable Outcomes

We align our metrics of evaluation with our commitment to centering racial equity at all times in our work, and partner with the community to track and define success.

 

Research

We evaluate to understand current, emerging, and innovative programs–to identify evidence-based practices, and further scalable and sustainable solutions for impact.

Data Resource Library

Our Data Resource Library offers tools and examples from local NC partners and state and national sources to help develop the data needed to advocate for change. Our goal is to support NC organizations working for equitable health outcomes and access to quality health care.

Visit the Library

Resources

Review these reports and analyses from the Trust around key issues we are working to advance.

Local Impact in Forsyth County

  • Educational Equity Through High-Quality Pre-K
    Published by: The Pre-K Priority
    Summary: This report addresses the urgent need for Forsyth County to adopt a formal community plan for establishing a high-quality Pre-K system. Key considerations include funding, addressing inequities, and how to provide quality programming.
  • Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care Study
    Published by: MDC
    Summary: Researchers surveyed 1,200+ parents and 300+ caregivers in Forsyth County to learn about informal childcare. This report helped the Trust better determine how to support informal caregivers and the families they serve.
  • Inclusive Economy
    Published by: UNC Chapel Hill School of Government
    Summary: The Trust engaged ncIMPACT Initiative to identify core challenges and develop recommendations on how we can help build a more inclusive economy in Forsyth County.

Health Improvement in North Carolina

  • In-Person Marketplace Enrollment Efforts in North Carolina
    Published by: UNC and The Urban Institute
    Summary: This dashboard visualizes Federal Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment data across the state. People can use the information to learn more about counties with high rates of unenrolled individuals who are eligible for Marketplace insurance plans.
  • Community Health Is Maternal Health
    Published by: UNC and The Urban Institute
    Summary: This report examines individual county health systems to identify both challenges and promising practices that impact maternal health and birthing outcomes in North Carolina.
  • Providing Insights About NC’s Asian Population
    Published by: UNC and The Urban Institute
    Summary: This report examines the trend of social, economic, and health related outcomes among Asian residents in North Carolina. 
  • Providing Insights About NC’s Immigrant Community
    Published by: UNC and The Urban Institute
    Summary: This study identifies key data indicators to paint a picture of North Carolina’s immigration and Hispanic/Latinx populations. Compiled data is related to the characteristics of NC’s foreign-born population at state, local, and county levels. This supplement is designed to more effectively contextualize and distinguish outcomes between urban and rural immigrant communities.
  • Perinatal Health Among Medicaid Beneficiaries in North Carolina, 2018
    Published by: The Urban Institute
    Summary: This report analyzes perinatal health outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries. It reviews potential implications of the transition to managed care for pregnant mothers and infants and highlights interventions such as expanding access to prenatal care and addressing social determinants of health.
  • Findings from the First Year of Medicaid Managed Care in North Carolina, 2022
    Published by: The Urban Institute
    Summary: The report examines the first year of Medicaid managed care implementation in North Carolina and its impact on health care access, utilization, and quality. It discusses the importance of ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that Medicaid managed care continues to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
  • “Exploring Equitable Access to Care and Outcomes Using Telehealth in the Transition to Medicaid Managed Care,”
    Published by: Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy
    Summary: This article outlines research that explores how access to telehealth contributes to the goal of establishing data-driven policy that advances equitable care and outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries. 
  • “Informing North Carolina’s COVID-19 Pandemic Response: Projected Service Needs of Medicaid Beneficiaries,”
    Published by: Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy
    Summary: This article addresses how Medicaid Reform can affect health for North Carolinians with low incomes through the analysis of results from statewide projects that monitored three key domains: Insurance Coverage Churn, Behavioral Health Utilization, and New Medicaid Enrollees.
  • “Focus on Philanthropy: Investing in ACA and Expanding Medicaid Are Critical to Statewide Health,” Adam Linker and Dr. Laura Gerald
    Published by: North Carolina Medical Journal
    Summary: This article cites numerous studies that show how expanding Medicaid is key to addressing glaring inequities in health outcomes, especially for those in rural areas.
  • “Equitable Access to Care: Expanding Medicaid in North Carolina”
    Published by: Cone Health Foundation, in partnership with George Washington University
    Summary: This report estimates that expanding Medicaid would create 37,000+ new jobs and insure 365,000 more people.
  • “Healthy Eating and Active Living through an Equity Lens,” Dr. Laura Gerald
    Published by: Stanford Social Innovation Review
    Summary: This article demonstrates how to advance a common interest in building thriving places to live and play, especially for those with the greatest needs.
  • “Public Health in North Carolina,” Dr. Laura Gerald, Douglas Urland (NCIPH)
    Published by: North Carolina Medical Journal
    Summary: This article dives into a thorough history of North Carolina’s public health achievements over the last 50 years and the work ahead.
  • “Invest in Rural North Carolina to Ensure a Thriving State, Pandemic or Not,” Dr. Laura Gerald
    Published by: North Carolina Medical Journal
    Summary: This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on rural health and the need for creative, innovative approaches to address systemic barriers that existed long before the pandemic.
  • “How Philanthropy Can Shift Power and Ignite Change in Rural Communities,” Jason Baisden, Paula Swepson, and Mary Snow
    Published by: National Committee of Responsive Philanthropy
    Summary: This article covers the growth of the Trust’s partnerships in McDowell County and shares lessons applicable for all working in rural and community health. 

Events

  • Healthy Places North Carolina (HPNC) eLearning series
    Published by: UNC School of Public Health
    Summary: Watch these e-learns that serve as a prerequisite for the UNC School of Public Health’s workshop series, which uses datasets from the Trust’s Healthy Places NC initiative. They are designed for anyone who wants to learn more about collecting and analyzing North Carolina public health data in support of healthy thriving communities. Here you can find short video tutorials on basic data concepts, accessing and evaluating data, and basics of surveying.