Introduction: Why I Built This Dashboard
I’ve always loved finding ways to use my skills to give something back. Recently, I realised that I often stumbled across charities to support more by luck than design. So, I built a Power BI charity dashboard to make it easier to discover and research charities in Scotland—whether for fundraising, volunteering, or even joining as a trustee.
About the Dataset
The data for this report comes from a structure csv extract published by OSCR. It includes basic information about charities activities, their location and, income and expenditure.
The structure made it easy to work with: I created a simple data model in Power BI and was able to focus quickly on building out the visuals.
Behind the Scenes: Data Modelling & Transformation
Although the finished dashboard looks straightforward, there’s quite a bit happening behind the scenes. I connected Power BI to a folder source, so future updates are as simple as dropping in the latest file. I also tidied up charity website links so they’re clickable, and added a custom column using each charity’s number. This way, users can jump straight to the OSCR charity page for more detail.
Designing the User Experience
For me, the user experience is just as important as the data itself. I designed the dashboard so anyone—from a casual visitor to a charity board member—can explore it with ease.
The layout works in two layers:
- At a glance: Simple filters for location, purpose, and expenditure (plus a search bar) help users narrow things down fast.
- Drill-through detail: For those who want to go deeper, a single click reveals a more detailed view with charity-specific insights.
This way, you can go from “big picture” to detailed information in a matter of seconds.
Conclusion: A tool for quickly understanding the charity sector in Scotland
Creating this dashboard gave me a clearer picture of the charity sector in Scotland and highlighted organisations I’d love to support in the future. My hope is that it does the same for others—whether you’re looking to donate, volunteer, or even explore trustee opportunities in Scottish charities.
Data has the power to connect us to causes we care about. With a little help from Power BI, this project shows just how easy it can be to turn numbers into insights that matter.