How can sustainability offices transform everyday program data into powerful tools for learning, storytelling, and institutional impact, even with limited capacity? This interactive session highlights how Santa Clara University leverages data collection across programs such as the Forge Garden and Bucky’s Closet Thrift Store to advance sustainability education, strengthen donor engagement, and amplify campus storytelling.

Participants will explore practical strategies for collecting meaningful data within existing programs, even when staff time and resources are constrained. We will share how our team aligns local data collection with the AASHE STARS framework, showing how simple campus metrics contribute directly to credits such as AC 1: Sustainability Course Offerings, EN 2: Co-Curricular Activities, and EN 3: Staff Engagement and Training.

We will share ways to track areas such as food systems, waste diversion, and student participation, illustrating how the data we collect for reporting can serve as the foundation for applied learning opportunities, allowing students to engage with real-world sustainability metrics through their coursework and projects.

The session also focuses on translating raw numbers into compelling narratives for diverse audiences. Attendees will learn how we use data to support stakeholder communication, donor impact reports, and an accessible public data hub.

Designed for practitioners at all levels, including an "office of one," this session provides adaptable frameworks and templates to help you elevate the visibility and impact of your sustainability work.