Tableau takes CSR route, extends visualization software for NGOs

Data visualization software provider Tableau, through Tableau Foundation–a part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) program of Tableau Software–has announced the global expansion of its free software program for NGOs and charities. With the vision of enabling non-profit organizations to use the software for free (free licenses), the company says, NGOs will be able to measure the results of fundraising campaigns, tailor communications to individual supporters and discover new trends. According to the foundation, the company provides free two-year licenses of Tableau Desktop for small non-profits. However, to qualify for the software, organizations must be recognized as a charitable institution in their home country and have an annual operating budget under $5 million. This comes after the initial release of the initiative, in September 2015, which was only limited to the charities based in US. The group was however quick in reaching out and extending its spread by tapping the charities based in UK by November, 2015. The outreach program claims to encompass 192 countries at present. Currently, the program is being administered by TechSoup, a non-profit that offers free resources to other non-profits and libraries against a nominal administration fee to facilitate the product donation. Neal Myrick, Director, Social Impact, Tableau, said:

“We started the Tableau Foundation with a mission to encourage the use of facts and analytical reasoning to solve the world’s problems. By removing the barriers to entry, small non-profits can better manage programs, tell impactful stories, or increase the effectiveness of fundraising efforts through data.”

In conjunction, the Washington-based company has a provision, it calls Tableau Service Corps, a volunteer network of employees that aim at helping small non-profits organizations see and understand their data better. According to the company, any non-profit organization regardless of its size can request help on a data-focused project from one of the many volunteers listed on the Tableau Service Corps website. While separate initiatives, the two programs are launched simultaneously so that any non-profit institutions can use the software and have access to critical insights The expansion is also in line with Tableau’s participation in Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, which took place in October, 2015. At the launch event, the company pledged to make its business intelligence software available to small organizations in all non-embargoed countries to promote inclusiveness and data driven development in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. And with the kind of charity at hand, tableau sure hopes to garner some good will while varied charitable institutes stand to benefit. Earlier in July, the company had announced the launch of Tableau 10 with over 30 new capabilities, as an update to its existing lineup and to beef up its visual analysis offerings. The update was nonetheless aimed at meeting evolving enterprise standards and demands.