We Got a Map for That!Navigating Community Profiles

The Johnson Center for Philanthropy

Elizabeth Delaney, L.L.M.S.W.delaneel@gvsu.edu

Johnson Center for Philanthropyat Grand Valley State University

201 Front Ave SW200 BLKGrand Rapids, MI 49504Phone: 616-331-7585

at Grand Valley State Universitywww.johnsoncenter.org

Q & A: What are the Community Profiles?

• Provides accessible national and local data in an effort to assist regional nonprofit, education, and governmental leaders with decision making, grant writing, and program evaluation.

• Data reports for – Counties, Cities, Townships, Wards,

and Neighborhoods in West Michigan

• Gives an overview for – Demographics, Education, Crime,

Etc.• For a specific location• Gives comparisons to other

geographies

Q & A: How do I access the Community Profiles?

• From our website– Go to the Community

Research Institute homepage www.cridata.org

– Then click on Community Profiles tab

Q & A: How are the Community Profiles organized?

• First by geography, then by topical categories– Listed in a pull-down menu

across the top of each profile.

• Categories include:– Demographics, Economics and

Education, Housing, Birth Statistics, Crime and Safety, and Civic Engagement.

– Each include additional data indicators. For example, the category of Demographics includes the indicators of: Population, Race, Gender, and Age.

Q &A: How old is the data and where did it come from?

• All data sources are: – Dated & Footnoted after

each indicator.– Referenced in the notes

section at the bottom of each page.

Q & A: What is the difference between value, average, lowest and highest?

• Value: the actual number or percent of the population representing the indicator

• Average, lowest, and highest: are calculated by comparing the same indicator across geographies. – The bar to the far right is

another way to visualize the actual, average, high, and low value of the indicator across geographies.

Q & A: What does the map icon do?

• This visually maps the indicator through our mapping system, MAPAS.

Q & A: Can I add or remove indicators?

• Yes. – Click the build report icon

across the top of the profile.

– You can add indicators• Select the indicators you

want to add to your report, then use the arrow to move them into the box labeled “Your Report.”

– You can remove indicators• Using the arrow to move

them into the other box.

Q & A: Can I compare data across geographies or over time?

• Yes. The following link can give you a step by step guide on how and when to use the Trend and Compare tools, located under the map on the left side of the profile: https://www.cridata.org/tools.aspx

• Which tools should I use?– Trend: To view multiple geography

values across time – Trend: To view data across all years

available – Compare: To compare one

geography against another– Compare: To compare multiple

indicator values

Q & A: Can U see data in different formats? Can I export and/or print?

• Yes. Tools and data are interactive.• There are multiple ways to view,

organize and export your “customized” data set. – When you click on the “map” link,

the data will be mapped in our geographic information systems mapping software.

– The Compare and Trend Tools provide icons under the menu at the top of the screen, which allow you to display data in different visual formats.

– The platform allows you to export the data in excel and PDF formats.

Community Profiles Exercise:

Review the profile of Baxter neighborhood and answer the following questions (Build a report):• In 2010, what percentage of the population had a Bachelors as

highest degree?• In 2006, what was the teen birth rate?• In 2009, what was the total violent crimes?• What neighborhood had the highest number of vacant units in

2010, Baxter or East Hills? (Compare)• What neighborhood had the highest number of vacant units in

1990, Baxter or East Hills? (Compare)• Is the violent crime rate trending up or down for Baxter? (Trend)

Question: What is MAPAS?• An interactive mapping system to

find data for customized geographies.

• In MAPAS, you can:– Build thematic (color coded) maps

around topics of interest– Visualize and identify spatial data

patterns across multiple geographies– Display the locations of nonprofit

groups and other service providers to evaluate existing (or lack of) services within or near a user-defined area of interest or service area

– Create customized geographies, dynamic reports for pre-defined geographies

Question: How can I access MAPAS?

• You can access MAPAS from our website.– Go to the Community

Research Institute homepage: www.cridata.org , click on the MAPAS icon.

– Or, go to: http://open.cridata.org/maps/mapas/

Question: How is MAPAS organized?

• In MAPAS you can:– Select a geography

• Pre-defined neighborhoods, cities, counties, etc.

– Enter a Location• Specific address

– Draw a Customized Geography• You can choose the boundaries of your

geography of interest

– Each category includes additional data indicators• For example, the category of Demographics

includes the following indicators: Population, Race, Gender, and Age

• There is also a Points and Layers Box, which allows you to map the locations of:

– Charter Schools, Public Schools, Congregations, Food pantries, and Vita site locations

– Allows for outlining and labeling additional points of interest (i.e. streets, parks and water, census tracts, etc.)

Question: how old is the data and where did it come from?

• All data sources are noted and dated at the bottom right of the page.

MAPAS Exercises• Scenario 1: Use Mapping to Focus Volunteer Efforts• You are: A volunteer Coordinator• You live in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Grand Rapids. You are

collecting funds door-to-door for the Neighborhood Association and have limited volunteer resources. You want to find out which part of the neighborhood has a higher median household income because you want your volunteers to target that section most heavily. – Use the “select a geography” dropdown to zoom into the Grand Rapids

neighborhood of Garfield Park (Notice that the neighborhood boundaries are blue).

– Select Topic: Employment and Income– Select Indicator: Median Income

• Question: What section of the neighborhood has a higher median household income, the northwest or the southeast?

MAPAS Exercises• Scenario 2: Find the Closest Food Pantry in Proximity to a Citizen in Need.• You are: A food pantry volunteer• You get a call from a citizen looking for a food pantry close to their home. The

caller informs you that they currently live at 1050 Fountain St. NE, 49503.– Type the Address into the ENTER A LOCATION box.– Turn on the Food Pantries layer in the Points and Layers box.

• Question: What are the two closest pantry locations to the caller’s home address?

– The caller informs you that they do not own a car and need a pantry that is within a walkable distance. You know that a walkable distance is approximately .25 miles each way.

– Use the Draw a Radius tool to make a .25 mile buffer around the callers address.– Click “List Displayed Points Within Radius.”

• Question: Is there a pantry location that is a walkable distance from the caller’s home address?

– You want to save your work so you can review or edit it later. Create a MAPAS account!– Save Radius– Save Location

MAPAS Exercises• Scenario 3: Find Voting Information for a Grand Rapids Neighborhood• You are: A staff member at a foundation• The Foundation you work for is funding a project aimed at impacting civic engagement

in the Garfield Park Neighborhood in Grand Rapids. You have been asked to collect information on current voting trends in that neighborhood. – Type Garfield Park into the ENTER A LOCATION box and hit enter on your keyboard.– Click the REPORT link in the pop-up window

• Question: How many registered voters were located in the Garfield Park area in 2008?• Question: What percent of those registered voters voted in the 2008 election?

– Close the Report• Next, you want to map the voter turnout patterns within the Garfield Park

Neighborhood to visually see voting patterns. This will allow you to target your efforts in areas with low voter turnout. – Select Topic: Voting– Select Indicator: Voter Turnout

• Question: Where will you focus most of your efforts? • A) The northwest • B) The southeast

MAPAS Exercises• Scenario 4: Find a Target Area that is Most in Need of a Proposed Service.• You are: a staff member at a foundation• A recent pilot project encouraging mothers without a high school diploma to get their GED was very successful. The foundation

you work for is looking to fund a satellite project in the East Hills neighborhood. You need to target the area within the neighborhood that is most in need of the service.– In the mapping tool, zoom to the East Hills neighborhood– Select Topic: Vital Records– Select Indicator: Birth to Mothers with out High School Diploma– If it is not already on, turn on the neighborhoods layer using the Points and Layers Menu located on the right side of the screen– On your map you will notice a high concentration of births to mothers without a high school diploma. This will be your proposed target

area.• Next you will want to find statistics for the proposed target area

– Use the draw a custom geography tool to outline your target area– When your drawing is finished, create a report to pull the statistics for that area.

• Question: What is the percentage of births to mothers without a high school diploma in your target area?– Close the report

– You want to save the customized geography so you can review or edit your work later. – Save custom Geo.

• Now you decide to look for resources in the area.– Click “Keep Geography” in the current popup window. – Use the Points and Layers Tool. Click Public Schools.– Click “List Displayed Points.”

• Question: Is there a public school located near your area? What is the name of the school?

• Now that you have chosen a site location you want to save your work so that you can come back and make edits if necessary. • Save Map, PDF

Bonus MAPAS Features

• Load multiple geographies into one map– Log into MAPAS– Go to My MAPAS– Click Custom Geographies– Mark selected geographies– Click Load Multiple

• Load multiple addresses into one map– Log into MAPAS– Go to My MAPAS– Click Locations on left hand side– Mark selected locations– Click Load Multiple

For additional training and technical assistance in enhancing your knowledge and skills in accessing and using community data:• Go to: http://www.cridata.org/tutorials.aspx

for resources on using community data.• Go to:

http://open.cridata.org/maps/mapas2beta/Tutorials.html for tutorials on our interactive mapping software, MAPAS.

• Contact Jeremy Pyne at pyneje@gvsu.edu with questions on accessing and using our Community Information Tools.

Johnson Center for Philanthropyat Grand Valley State University

201 Front Ave SW200 BLKGrand Rapids, MI 49504Phone: 616-331-7585

at Grand Valley State Universitywww.johnsoncenter.org