We are often called upon to use various kinds of data in community change work for different circumstances—to assess community conditions, monitor trends, prioritize areas for investment, and more. IP3 helps organizations and communities use data to power change-making work through resources available on Community Commons, technology integration, and strategic consulting, including supporting groups to identify data measures that are most relevant to their work and access data describing their community (often through IP3 ASSESS).
Today, accessing data is easier than ever, with a world of data just a few clicks away. But knowing where to go and what to look for remains a challenge. We find that navigating the online data landscape can still pose challenges:
Knowing where to find data
Identifying data indicators of interest
Evaluating the quality of data sources and datasets accessible online
IP3 recently launched The Community Indicator Library, a living library of data indicators, or metrics, that changemakers use to measure health, well-being, and equity in their communities. The library is free and publicly available on Community Commons. (Learn about IP3’s public good mission.)
The Community Indicator Library helps users find indicators relevant to their community change work, identify reputable datasets and sources for those indicators, and explore related topics on Community Commons. It contains many indicators commonly used in community health practice from sources that make data available nationwide at the county- or Census-tract level, such as the American Community Survey, PLACES, Food Access Research Atlas, and others.
How to Use the Community Indicators Library
Indicators are categorized into the below thematic areas. Use these categories as filter terms to explore indicators in this library, or search by other topics.
Demographic
Well-Being Outcomes
Health Behaviors
Clinical Care and Urgent Services
Social and Economic Factors
Physical Environment
Indicators have also been categorized by unit of analysis, methodological approach, measure type, and topic areas, and all of this information is visualized by the indicator graphic. Once on the page for a specific data indicator in the library, scroll down to the Data & Metrics section to view the source (dataset); click through to visit the dataset page and access data describing your community. The selection of indicators available will grow over time, so be sure to check back for updates.
Access Data for Your Community with IP3 ASSESS
If you’re interested in more robust support around using community health data indicators in your work, you may consider IP3 ASSESS, our web-based data solution designed and built for changemakers using data to advance equitable well-being in communities around the Nation. Access to IP3 ASSESS provides instant access to data for your community for all indicators in the library, and many more, and allows you to easily combine and compare data from different sources, surface community insights, align data across organizations and sectors, and move straight into concerted action. Contact us today to learn more!