Data Day 2026: The Power of Local Data

Data Day 2026: The Power of Local Data

General admission tickets are officially available! Registration closes on Friday, September 18th. The full program and additional details will be released in the following weeks.

Agenda

8AM ~ Registration and Breakfast

9AM ~ Welcome Remarks

9:15AM ~ Data You Can Use Presentation

9:45AM ~ Data Dream Finalists Video Presentation 1

10AM ~ Workshops

• Making the Case: Using Local Data to Strengthen Grant Proposals, hosted by Amanda Aliperta and Meghan Roesner Newton from Momentum Nonprofit Strategies. Learn how to prepare for grant opportunities and use local data to write stronger, more compelling grant proposals.
• From Data to Impact: Communicate in a way that inspires local change, hosted by Kaitlin Henze from Storytelling with Data. Learn how to turn local data into clear, compelling visuals and messages that capture attention and drive real impact.
• Unlocking Milwaukee Data: Searching, Downloading, and Mapping with the Data You Can Use Hub hosted by Amanda Beavin and Amy Rohan from Data You Can Use. Learn how to use and navigate the DYCU Data Hub no matter your skill level. Participants who wish to follow along throughout the workshop may bring a laptop or a tablet, though access to a device is not mandatory for participation.

11:15AM ~ Ignite Presentations

• Aziz Adbullah, INPOWER
• Solana Patterson-Ramos, Together for Homes & Ezra Haugabrooks, ReadyAimGo
• Danika Hill-Paulus, MKE FreshAir Collective

12PM ~ Lunch 

12:45PM ~ Energizer & Remarks

1:15PM ~ Keynote Panel

• Moderator: Kathy L.S. Pettit, NNIP Co-Director, Urban Institute
• Kate Eikel, Data Integration Strategist, CTData Collaborative
• Nikolai Elneser, Community Impact Officer, Neighborhood Nexus
• Robert Gradeck, Project Director, Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center
• Dr. Midas Hampton, Founding Executive Director, Strategic Spartenburg, Inc.

2:30PM: Awards & Closing

3PM: Data You Can Booze Happy Hour

As Milwaukee’s data intermediary, we equip Milwaukeeans with reliable, localized data that centers community needs and lived experiences. As federally funded data becomes increasingly limited and unreliable, investing in strong local data infrastructure is essential to ensuring our communities have trustworthy information for years to come. This event will equip attendees with actionable skills, tools, and resources to use data individually and collectively within their organizations and neighborhoods.

Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of locally available data and practical ways to apply it to their unique community needs, whether for personal decision-making or organizational strategy across sectors. With our collective superpowers, local data can be mobilized from a concept to a community-wide shift in power that is needed now more than ever.

Become a Sponsor Today!

Click here to view our sponsorship 2-pager. Your sponsorship of Data Day 2026 directly supports the cost of hosting this annual event and ensures it remains free and accessible to all. At Data You Can Use, we believe cost should never be a barrier to community knowledge and resources.

Now in its 12th year, Data Day brings together over 300 attendees annually and consistently receives outstanding feedback from participants across sectors.

In 2025:

• 100% of attendees said Data Day increased their knowledge of local data projects
• 98% would recommend Data Day to a colleague or friend
• 91% plan to use insights from Data Day to inform their work
• 90% reported a stronger understanding of how data can drive community change

As a sponsor, you’ll gain meaningful visibility and engagement opportunities at every level. With sponsorships starting at just $2,500 to $15,000 with our exclusive Presenting Sponsorship.

What sets Data Day apart is its unique ability to convene cross-sector leaders while centering real community needs and solutions. To ensure you organization receives all benefits in the sponsorship, you must confirm by Friday, August 28th, 2026. 

Become a data hero today!  Questions? Email mariana@datayoucanuse.org

NEW! Nonprofit Sponsorship Rates

Available to nonprofits with valid 501(3)(c) status and operating budgets of $1.5m or less. These sponsorships are available upon request, contact mariana@datayoucanuse.org for additional information.