Downloads:

Community Counts:

2008/2009 Community Counts Report Card (Screen Version)

2008/2009 Community Counts Report Card (Print Version)


Community Counts: 7th Annual Community Report Card 2005/06 (pdf)

Community Counts Data Discussion Guide for Groups (pdf)

2007 Community Worksession Keynote Address with Dr. Suzanne Morse, featuring Community Counts (streaming video)

2007 Worksession Breakout Group Discussion Guide (pdf)

2007 Worksession Forcefield Reports (pdf)
Youth Development
Workforce Development
HealthCare Disparities

Looking for more Indicators, Data or Information for the Greater Grand Rapids Area?

Contact Steve Faber at The Delta Strategy

Steve Faber
616-234-4041
sfaber@grcc.edu

Visit the Community Research Institute of Grand Valley State University to see additional indicators, special reports and neighborhood data.

Other National Indicator Projects Worth Checking Out:

Jacksonville, FL
 Bay Area Alliance
Boston Indicators Project


Archived Reports:

-Community Report Card, 2004-2005

-Community Report Card, 2003-2004

-Community Report Card, 2002-2003. The 2002-2003 Report Card is also available en espa�ol.

-Community Report Card, 2001-2002
The 2001-2002 Community Report Card also has a special Focus on Poverty section. You may download each page separately: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4.

-Community Report Card, October 2000

-Community Report Card, November 1999

 About Community Counts

The Delta Strategy issues an annual Community Indicator Report that measures change from year to year in important quality of life measures for our community. We look at key indicators in the areas of:

  -Equal Opportunity
  -Family Economics
  -Education
  -Health
  -Environment
  -Public Safety

Community Counts: a Community Report Card is an annual survey of quantitative and qualitative quality of life data broadly distributed and used as a reference tool to understand current conditions of our community, progress and impact of community initiatives and new or remaining community issues.

Community Counts provides residents, elected officials, nonprofits, and business with a “mountaintop” view of the overall condition of our community. Each of us, as a greater Grand Rapids resident, is part of a neighborhood, a city, and region as well as global economic and natural systems. Each of these systems profoundly affects our lives; in turn, these systems are affected by every one of us.

Our hope is that Community Counts will develop a collective understanding of the conditions in our community, so that people are empowered to make meaningful, lasting change in our community.The Data for the Community Report Card come from several major sources, including the U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS), administrative data from public agencies, special reports and indexes developed by research institutions and qualitative data from behavior and attitude surveys like the Greater Grand Rapids Community Survey conducted by the Community Research Institute of Grand Valley State University.

How does the Delta Strategy use the indicators:

In 1998, 4600 community members described their vision for the future of greater Grand Rapids, a process facilitated by The Delta Strategy. Creating a community vision is one part of the three responsibilities of community leadership as described in The Delta Strategy Change Process. As a part of the measurement process, Community Counts provides some broad measurements that then allow us to see whether we are either progressively moving toward that vision or drifting farther away. Then as part of the problem solving process, The Delta Strategy provides a place where dialogue can happen about why that is and what can be done about it. Community Counts is intended to encourage thoughtful analysis that leads toward meaningful action either as a complement to independent efforts or as part of a broader systemic approach to problem solving. All the while we are building trust as we work in teams in the community to solve our toughest problems.

Why wasn't there a report last year?

We postponed the release of the report in 2006 for several reasons, including developing a whole new layout, data availability and better alignment with other indicator initiatives in the area. One of these projects is the West Michigan Strategic Alliance's Regional Indicators Project. The Delta Strategy is assisting on this project to develop regional quality of life measures for sustainability. We also wanted to more closely associate the report with our community work session.
 
Where are we headed with Community Counts.

We could not include everything we wanted to in this year's report, but we have plans for the future.  Ideas we would like to incorporate include:

-develop easy to read symbols to quickly identify indicators with "blue sky" opportunities and "red alert" threats and communicate trend directions
-identify and list groups and initiatives working for change on particular indicators
-continue to fine-tune the measures to track meaningful information
-identify indicators that drive change

Getting Involved:

Community Counts provides a lot of information about the status of our community.  We hope that by disseminating the information we will encourage better informed decision making and people working together to build a better community. If you or your organization are working for community improvement in any of the indicator areas, please let The Delta Strategy know so that we can include you in future reports.  Please share the information, go deeper into understanding the issue and be part of positive change in our community. 

Community Report Card Survey:

We are very interested in how you use the Community Report card and in your ideas for improving it. Please fill out our survey. There are just nine questions. Click here to fill out the Community Report Card Survey.

� 2006 The Delta Strategy