THE DATA INITIATIVE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Transcription

1 THE DATA INITIATIVE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2 THE DATA INITIATIVE VISION All social change organizations in Colorado are making data-informed decisions that result in improved outcomes for low-income children and families. MISSION To pioneer a data-driven culture that puts neighborhood information in the hands of people who can effect change for low-income communities. COMMUNITY CHANGE STUDIES COMMUNITY CHANGE MONITORING & DECISION- MAKING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & CAPACITY BUILDING OPEN DATA TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE & COMMUNITY INFORMATION TOOLS Performing research and analysis in support of key policy and social sector initiatives around issues such as early childhood, transitoriented development and affordable housing. Supporting community organizations to integrate data and technology more directly into their work by building data and research tools that support community change initiatives. Supporting organizations by building their technical capacity to use data through mapping and analysis, data visualization and sense-making. Developing and maintaining web-based technology platforms that provide open data, and disseminating information about key social issues to help inform community decisionmaking. FUNDERS S E RVICE PROVIDERS GOVERNMENTS NONPROFITS POLICY MAKERS EDUCATORS WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR COLORADO S LOW-INCOME CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES

3 2015 HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNITY CHANGE MONITORING RELEASED COLORADO S YOUNGEST: A PROFILE OF THE 0-5 POPULATION COMMUNITY INFORMATION TOOLS LAUNCHED EXPANDED COMMUNITY FACTS unique page views IN 2015 unique page views IN 2015 COMMUNITY CHANGE STUDIES DECISION-MAKING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS RELEASED ADAMS COUNTY HOUSING STUDY DEVELOPED SCHOOL-AGE PROJECTION & CHARTER SCHOOL SITE SELECTION TOOL As a result, a group of elected officials commissioned the same research for an additional 6 counties. DECISION-MAKING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & CAPACITY-BUILDING

4 COMMUNITY CHANGE MONITORING COLORADO S YOUNGEST: A 0-5 PROFILE & STORY MAP ABOUT In an effort to provide more insight into Colorado s early childhood landscape, the Data Initiative released Colorado s Youngest: A Profile of the 0-5 Population, a demographic profile of children born in the last five years in Colorado, with a specific emphasis on metro Denver. The brief takes an in-depth look at vulnerable births and additional indicators that represent the development of young children. To accompany the brief, the Data Initiative created an interactive story map that allows users to view additional data and explore neighborhood-level maps, and it serves as a complement to the Colorado Children s Campaign s widely-respected Kids Count in Colorado publication. DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE By providing community-level information, this demographic profile and story map can be used by elected officials, advocacy groups and direct service providers to better understand where vulnerable children are living, helping to ensure that supportive resources are available in highneed communities. This project inspired the creation of a digital decision-making tool, which will be released in 2016, to help the community better understand Colorado s early childhood landscape. - BILL JAEGER Colorado Children s Campaign THE DATA INITIATIVE 2

5 COMMUNITY INFORMATION TOOLS E X PA N D E D COMMUNITY FACTS LAUNCH ABOUT In response to changing demographics and economic conditions in metro Denver, the Data Initiative shifted its focus from a historically Denver-centric one to a seven-county, regional view. The first web-based application that was created with this expanded geographic reach is the updated Community Facts tool, which offers free, neighborhoodlevel data. This new application, which was developed with input from a group of community stakeholders, features contemporary technology and serves as a leading example for community information platforms. Community Facts is powered by the Data Engine, another tool that was developed by the Data Initiative to serve as an open source hub that unlocks neighborhood-scale public data in a standardized, geo-located format. DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE COMMUNITY REACH By offering free, neighborhood-level data for the Denver metro region, Community Facts is able to provide data and analysis about the health and well being of metro Denver s families and communities, helping to support community change initiative across the region. The tool can be used to inform the work of nonprofits, government agencies, community organizations, direct service providers, researchers and community members. Since launching in early 2015, Community Facts has received nearly 50,000 unique pageviews. Based on feedback from the stakeholder development group and Community Facts users, new enhancements were made to the tool in December The Data Initiative is committed to continually adding new features and data to Community Facts, allowing it to better serve the community s needs. - BRAD WEINIG Enterprise Community Partners - G. THOMAS KINGSLEY Urban Institute 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 3

6 COMMUNITY CHANGE STUDIES HOUSING S IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE ABOUT In partnership with the Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University, the Data Initiative released a case study exploring how Adams County local government is being fiscally impacted by, and is attempting to deal with, its increasing number of housingchallenged residents. After viewing the Adams County study, a group of elected officials, including Rep. Max Tyler and Rep. Faith Winter, commissioned the Data Initiative to replicate this research for additional counties, including El Paso, Jefferson, La Plata, Mesa and Weld. This report was a pivotal project as the Data Initiative begins to strengthen its research line of service. DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE COMMUNITY REACH As more Colorado households at every income level struggle to afford housing, these reports attempt to better understand the fiscal impact the decline in affordable housing is having on local governments across the state, providing insight into how governments can allocate precious dollars more effectively. REPORT FINDING: $170 MILLION IN CROWDED-OUT SPENDING: - SARA REYNOLDS Housing Colorado THE DATA INITIATIVE 4

7 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: YOUNG AMERICANS CENTER FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION ABOUT The Data Initiative worked with Young Americans Center for Financial Education, a nonprofit that offers programs to teach youth about finances, economics and business, to build an interactive web map to help the organization expand its On the Road program. Using free and reduced lunch participation data from the Colorado Department of Education and demographic data from the American Community Survey, this map provides insight into which Denver metro communities would most benefit from Young American s programming. DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE Nonprofit organizations like Young Americans are the crucial link between the data and information the Data Initiative provides and improved outcomes for Denver s children and communities. But, many of these organizations do not have access to research or the capacity to interpret community information, which limits their ability to make informed, data-driven decisions. By providing Young Americans with this data resource, we helped build its capacity to understand the communities it serves, resulting in improved program delivery. - BETSY SKLAR Young Americans Center for Financial Education 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5

8 LOOKING AHEAD COMMUNITY CHANGE STUDIES In collaboration with the Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University, the Data Initiative s next large research project will study the underlying dynamics that create barriers to opportunities for families striving to be economically self-sufficient. Specifically, the project will look at the existing barriers to housing affordability, middle class employment opportunities, funding for county human services programs, and access to opportunities for education achievement for all Coloradans. COMMUNITY CHANGE MONITORING & DECISION-MAKING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS After identifying the need to better understand early childhood systems in Colorado, the Data Initiative is developing a digital decision-making tool to help the early childhood community better understand where children are located and what resources exist in those communities. Much like Community Facts, this tool will be developed with input from leaders in the early childhood community, and the Data Initiative is committed to delivering a first phase of the project in TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & CAPACITY BUILDING The Data Initiative looks forward to providing technical assistance to a variety of organizations in One project in the pipeline will support Urban Land Conservancy, a nonprofit that preserves land and buildings in urban areas for the long-term benefit of the community. ULC is seeking a way to communicate where its property assets are located and how those properties support the surrounding communities. Because this information is best presented in map visualizations, the Data Initiative is developing a private online tool to allow ULC staff to easily create maps that layer together ULC property data with community context information. As ULC s needs change, the Data Initiative will update the tool with new data. OPEN DATA TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE & COMMUNITY To ensure that Community Facts continues to evolve and meet the needs of its users, the Data Initiative will host additional convenings of the Community Facts core stakeholder group to review how the tool is being used and what enhancements should be made in the upcoming year. GENERAL OPERATIONS As part of its business planning, the Data Initiative will be engaging with a branding and marketing firm in early 2016 to help develop a new brand identity that supports the program s desire to increase its reach and impact th Street, Suite 200 Denver, CO DI@garycommunity.org