Data systems, evaluation, and impact communication for mission-driven organizations.
Rooted Insights
Visible Change
Rooted Insights
Visible Change
Data systems, evaluation, and impact communication for mission-driven organizations.
Organizations come to Understory when their data lives in too many places, reporting feels heavy, and systems don’t support decision-making.
Understory partners with nonprofits, educational institutions, local governments, and mission-driven producers to strengthen data, evaluation, and learning practices that support their operations, insight, and impact.
We design right-sized systems that help organizations grow insight from the ground up — creating structure, flow, and lasting impact.
Who We Work With
Understory works with mission-driven teams who need clearer, more sustainable ways to understand and use their data.
We partner with:
Small and mid-size nonprofits navigating reporting, evaluation, or operational complexity
Mission-driven enterprises whose workflows have outgrown spreadsheets and logs
Local governments and civic committees seeking simple, durable systems that support continuity
Consultants and research teams who need a trusted partner for data system design, evaluation, or reporting
Our Services
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We design simple, right-sized systems that capture, organize, and connect information — from spreadsheets to relational databases — so teams can use their data confidently and sustainably.
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We bring order to complexity by aligning tools, workflows, and processes with how teams actually operate — creating clear, maintainable systems that reduce friction and strengthen day-to-day work.
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We turn data into understanding through analysis, visualization, and interpretation that clarify what’s working, why it matters, and where to focus next.
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We link insight to opportunity by integrating data, narrative, and strategy to strengthen proposals, track results, and communicate impact with clarity and confidence.
How We Work
Understory works in a way that is deeply collaborative and grounded in clarity. We help teams move from scattered information to systems and insight they can rely on.
We start with your reality. We begin by listening — to your goals, your constraints, and how your work actually happens day to day. Whether the work involves systems, evaluation, reporting, or a blend, we design solutions that fit your team's capacity and are built to be understandable, maintainable, and sustainable over time.
We build for clarity and continuity. Every engagement includes clear documentation, shared definitions, and practical workflows that strengthen internal understanding and reduce reliance on any one person. We help teams interpret what their data shows — through reporting frameworks, evaluation tools, dashboards, or narrative support — so information can guide decisions and communicate impact.
We support work that lasts. Some organizations engage with us for a single project; others continue with periodic reporting, evaluation, or system refinement. The work is designed to evolve as needs change.
About Understory
Our Approach
Hi, I'm Olivia Noel — a data strategist, systems builder, and storyteller helping mission-driven organizations turn complexity into clarity. I draw insight from data, build systems for learning, and craft stories that reflect real impact.
My approach combines expertise in data systems design, reporting, and organizational learning with a commitment to making data alive and accessible. I founded Understory to bring high-quality, human-centered data systems to mission-driven organizations and communities, where deep change grows quietly.
We help mission-driven organizations turn data into clarity — designing systems that connect insight to action, and stories to impact.
We help mission-driven organizations turn data into clarity — designing systems that connect insight to action, and stories to impact.
Let’s start a conversation
Deep change starts with meaningful conversation.
Share a bit about your work, and let’s explore what we can grow together.