The McKnight Foundation is one of many private and public funders collaborating to launch the Cultural Data Project (CDP) in Minnesota. The CDP, which is operated by The Pew Charitable Trusts, makes it easy for arts, cultural and historical nonprofit organizations to track data demonstrating the impact they have in their region, and allows them to measure aspects including community participation and financial management.

Minnesota is the 12th state to participate in the program, following Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. 

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the CDP. The more we know about ourselves and our community, the better we will serve Minnesotans, who care deeply about and have wholeheartedly supported arts, culture and history," said Steve Elliott, director and CEO of the Minnesota Historical Society.

Nonprofit organizations that want to gain a deeper insight into their financial state might benefit from solutions such as grant management software. Using these platforms, organizations can identify fundraising opportunities and easily generate reports for various stakeholders, demonstrating their need for financial support across programs and providing examples of successful initiatives in the past.