Collecting the right data is just as important as showing it, and blockchain offers new ways to do both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR4sutY2jdA

Video Script đź“„

So how does impact data actually get onto a blockchain? This is where it gets practical.

First, you need to determine what data matters. Not everything should be on-chain. Recording every minor operational detail is expensive and unnecessary. Focus on the metrics that matter most: key outcomes, financial flows, major milestones.

Second, you need data sources. This might be manual entry by field staff, or automatic feeds from IoT devices, or independent verification from third parties. The more automated and independently sourced, the more trustworthy the records.

Third, you need to get data on-chain. This typically involves “oracles”—services that bridge real-world information to blockchain. If you’re recording satellite data about forest coverage, an oracle might pull that data from a provider and write it to the blockchain with cryptographic proof of its source and time.

Let’s make this concrete with an example.

<aside> 🌳

Case Study: Open Forest Protocol

Open Forest Protocol works with forest conservation projects. Here’s their process:

Field teams collect data on tree growth, plot characteristics, and project activities using standardized protocols.

That data gets uploaded to their platform, which checks it against satellite imagery and other independent sources.

Verified data gets recorded on the blockchain, creating an immutable record of forest carbon that can be tokenized and traded.

Anyone can query the blockchain to verify claims about specific projects.

</aside>

The key insight is that blockchain doesn’t create trust from nothing. It preserves and amplifies trust that’s established through rigorous data collection and verification. Garbage in, garbage out still applies. But when the inputs are sound, blockchain ensures the records can’t be quietly altered later.

For your organization, the questions are: What data do funders most want verified? What’s your current collection process? Where could cryptographic proof add credibility?

<aside>

</aside>