#  Strategic Data Excellence Award 

 



### Strong data work is critical to successful strategy, innovation, and improvement—yet because so many of our data successes are behind the scenes, this work is easy to take for granted and can be difficult to share and celebrate.  
  
We want to change that. 



 

##  Honoring Excellence 

The SDP Award for Strategic Data Impact spotlights current and former SDP Fellows who are using proof to guide decisions for positive impact.

The SDP Award submission form is now closed. Stay tuned for information about future years.



 

 

##  2026 Strategic Data Impact Award Winner 

In 2026, we honored Shannon Coulter, SDP Cohort 11, with the SDP Award for Strategic Data Impact, based on his work in the San Diego County Office of Education to bring humility and humanity to reducing chronic absenteeism.

[Read the press release.](/news/2026/05/shannon-coulter-sdp-fellowship-alumnus-receives-strategic-data-impact-award "Shannon Coulter, SDP Fellowship Alumnus, receives Strategic Data Impact Award")

[Read their story.](https://sdp.cepr.harvard.edu/blog/2026/05/better-way-bring-students-back)



 

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[View previous award winners](/award-archive)



 

##  SDP Network Impact 

Individuals and organizations in the SDP Network are innovating in ways that span the sector, and excellence may appear in different ways. Whether it’s developing an innovative data tool, making a difficult decision in an evidence-based fashion, improving data privacy and governance, or generating high-impact insights that are changing the field, we are deeply proud of the work they do.

[Learn more about impact across our network](/impact "Our Impact").