How to Build a Strong Need Statement Using Public Data

One of the most essential components of a compelling grant proposal is your need statement, also known as the problem statement or case for support. A couple weeks ago, we posted another blog article about the need statement, and how it is the part of the proposal where you clearly articulate why your program or project is necessary and what problem or need it is solving. This article expands on our prior article by providing resources to credible, current data that backs up your claims.

There’s a wealth of free, reliable data online to help make your case. Below is a curated list of recommended sources—especially useful for nonprofits working in New Mexico or in Indigenous/Tribal communities.

Note: This is not a comprehensive list, but it’s a great place to start building your “basic set” of research tools.

Must-Have Federal Data Sources

• Census Quick Facts: Simple, user-friendly tool for basic demographics (age, race, income, education) for any geography over 5,000 in population.
• Data.Census.Gov: The replacement for American Fact Finder. Use it to dive into detailed Census tables. Especially helpful for pulling data for tribal areas using filters by geography and topic.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): Your go-to for up-to-date employment, wage, and occupation data. Filter by state or metro area.
• QWI Explorer: For more granular economic and workforce data—by industry, demographic group, and location.
• FBI Uniform Crime Reporting: Use this to cite crime and law enforcement statistics at various levels. The Crime Data Explorer is particularly user-friendly.
• National Center for Education Statistics: Great for school achievement, dropout rates, and comparisons across districts, states, and the nation.

Indigenous- and Tribal-Specific Data Resources

• Census My Tribal Area: Quickly gather data on people, jobs, housing, economy, and education in tribal communities.
• All Pueblo Council of Governors: Advocacy priorities and contacts for Pueblo communities.
• CDC Tribal Data Resources: Health disparities, behavioral data, and national tribal public health datasets.
• National Congress of American Indians: Includes reports, surveys on tribal data practices, and tribal data sovereignty.
• Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty: Stay up-to-date on tribal digital data and topics.

State and Local New Mexico Resources

• IBIS – NM Indicator-Based Information System: Health, behavior, and resiliency data searchable by county, ethnicity, age, and school district.
• NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions: Workforce trends, unemployment data, industry outlooks—customizable by geography.
• New Mexico Community Data Collaborative: A treasure trove of health and education maps, especially valuable for visualizing disparities.
• Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS): NM-specific youth health behavior data; includes county-level trends.
• UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER): Robust data across a variety of geographies as well as publications and analyses across a variety of topic areas.
• Economic Development Districts and COGs: These regional organizations often have economic and workforce profiles that can support your need statement. Find your district via:
  • North Central New Mexico Economic Development District (NCNMEDD): Serves Sandoval, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Los Alamos, Taos, Colfax, Mora, and San Miguel Counties.
  • Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments (NWNMCOG): Serves San Juan, McKinley, and Cibola Counties.
  • Eastern Plains Council of Governments (EPCOG): Serves Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Quay, Roosevelt, and Union Counties.
  • Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG): Serves Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval Counties.
  • South Central Council of Governments (SCCOG): Serves Socorro, Sierra, and Doña Ana Counties.
  • Southeastern New Mexico Economic Development District (SNMEDD): Serves Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, and Otero Counties.
  • Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments (SWNMCOG): Serves Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna.

Data Aggregators and Tools

• Kids Count Data Center (Annie E. Casey Foundation): High-quality data on child well-being by state and indicators. A must for youth-focused proposals.
• Community Commons: Make your own maps and visualizations using national and local data sets.
• Data USA: A friendly interface for exploring economic and demographic data across sectors.
• Prosperity Now Scorecard: Financial well-being indicators like homeownership, net worth, and access to credit—often disaggregated by race and location.
• StatsAmerica: Dig into innovation and economic indicators with filters for region, radius, and demographics.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Research and reports on health equity and public health.

Bonus: Tools for Presenting Your Data

• Bitly: Use this to shorten long URLs when citing sources in footnotes.
• MapChart: Shade in counties or regions to visualize your service area.

Final Tips

• Keep it local: Always try to pull the most localized data you can—county, city, school district, or tribal area. This will resonate more with funders and demonstrate your expertise in the area.
• Show comparisons (and strengths): If your community’s indicators fall behind state or national averages, highlight that to illustrate the need—but balance this with asset-based framing. Avoid portraying communities solely through deficits; instead, acknowledge local strengths, resilience, and existing resources that can be built upon. Funders increasingly value proposals that recognize both challenges and community capacity.
• Mix in stories: Data shows scale, but stories show impact. Combine statistics with individual stories to humanize the problem.

Your need statement is more than just a formality—it’s your chance to make a funder care. With these tools, you can turn your lived knowledge into a credible, data-informed case for support.

Need Help?

Our team of grant professionals is highly skilled in writing and adapting the need statement for various audiences, relying on data and storytelling and customizing the case for support to each funder. Contact us by email or schedule a free discovery call if you would like support.

This post was filed under: Grant Writing