At Recycle Ithaca's Bicycles we record everything in duplicate spreadsheets, one local copy in LibreOffice and the other at Google Docs. We keep tabs on metrics we deem important such as number of visitors per day, number of bikes built, number of bikes sold, number of unique visits per week (as opposed to return visits), and expenses and income, itemized.

Our participant spreadsheet includes demographic data such as ethnicity, income, how they discovered the program, age, and gender. We anonymize the data by requesting that participants enter an alias on the form (we could just not have a "name" field at all but names make the lists easier to organize and reference). Asking for such detailed information is useful to reference when applying for funding, and handy to have at the ready if other organizations want to check out what you do. I do want to stress the ethical importance of anonymizing the data somehow, however, because it is pretty invasive.

Ideally we'll also get a website up soon and that will be another place we record our happenings. So many other organizations have such exciting and cute websites. I think when starting out it's important to telegraph to the communities you're wanting to reach that Stuff Is Going On Over Here. It helps build excitement as well as awareness, so pick someone that loves photography at the very least and turn them loose.

-cyclista Nicholas

On 2018-02-08 00:14, Ulick O'Beirne wrote:

Re: recording the benefits of a community bike project

Hey there,

I'm really enjoying being a part of this mailing list. We're trying to get a project off the ground here in West Cork in Ireland. More anon.

I'm applying for funding for various bike related projects: Earn A Bike, Fun Cycle Rides encouraging fitness and participation, Recycled Bike Projects, specific school and migrant centre projects.

How do you equate your data? How do you record your victories? Or your projects that could have gone better? How do you relate these numbers next time you look for funding to show progress?

Thanks a million!

Ulick

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