Benchmark Data Labs

is a non-profit consulting company that specializes in economic analysis, program evaluation, and data outreach. We believe that smart and impactful decision-making is built on a foundation of reliable data and sound methodology. Benchmark Data Labs uses its expertise and products to inform and educate its clients and the public so that they can ma... ke data-driven decisions that will support their future success. Our consulting revenues directly support our dedication to making impactful data accessible to our region through the South Dakota Dashboard. We invest time and resources to design and update our dashboards so that everyone has access to this data free of charge. We also conduct pro-bono outreach in the form of trainings, presentations, and data inquiries. Our mission and passion has always been to help organizations and communities make smart and informed decisions. In the beginning we served as a library-based information service known as the Black Hills Knowledge Network. Our work focused on providing the public with rich digital histories and aggregating local news stories so that decision makers would have access to the background and context needed to make the right decisions for their organizations and communities. In 2014 we started to evolve our mission by launching the South Dakota Dashboard with the support of the Bush Foundation. Launching the South Dakota Dashboard showed us the potential we had to further our advocacy of data-driven decision making by expanding the publics access to timely and accurate data and statistics. Our evolution to Benchmark Data Labs brings many exciting changes but we havent forgotten our past. Our digital history archive and community resource pages will remain active, generously housed and maintained on the Rapid City Public Library website. If you were a user of the South Dakota Dashboard, then check out the South Dakota Dashboard page on our current site. Youll find more data than ever before and even more powerful dashboards to help you explore the data. ...Read More