News
January 31, 2020Agencies Launch Regional Indicators Website
The Capital Region Chamber, in partnership with the Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC), The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region and the Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) are pleased to announce the availability of a new regional indicators website capitalregionindicators.org. This new, user-friendly resource features dynamic data visualizations that allow citizens to easily explore data and trends impacting communities in the Capital Region. The website is intended to spur discussion and facilitate a better understand of changes in our communities’ well-being over time and serve as a key resource for data needed by non-profits, businesses and government agencies.
“The Capital Region Chamber is proud to partner to create the Capital Region Indicators website, said Mark Eagan, President and CEO. This project started as an idea in the summer of 2018 within our Nonprofit Business Advisory Group. To see where we are today is a testament to vision and partnerships that lead to the creation of an easy-to-navigate, central data source that will better inform and guide the work of non-profits, for-profits and government agencies. The more organizations that align their work to address chronic and emerging issues that drive key indicators, the greater our collective capacity to enhance the economic and social well-being for all who call the Capital Region home.”
The website is joint initiative among the partners and the University at Albany’s Advanced Visualization and Informatics Lab (AVAIL), which custom built the platform. The site will be maintained by CDRPC.
“The University at Albany is committed to using our resources to give back to the community,” said Matt Grattan. “We are pleased our AVAIL team was engaged in the community indicators project and were able to deploy innovative technology and develop a tool that will drive conversation, inspire charitable efforts, and inform the general public.”
“In this day and age, data is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. This new platform puts data at the fingertips of people and will help them easily understand and digest the information without having to dig through websites, spreadsheets or use complicated software to make sense of it all,” said Mark Castiglione, Executive Director of CDPRC. “It will also amplify CDPRC’s data services and technical assistance capabilities and help local agencies access timely information for grant applications or municipal planning processes.”
The website includes profiles for the four-county and eight-county Capital Region area, each individual county, and each city, town and village within those counties. Each profile includes roughly 50 demographic and other indicators that are categorized under Economy, Transportation, Housing, Education, Health and Social Welfare. Profiles pages feature data visualizations and ability to compare data overtime and across geographies. In addition, the platform features a mapping interface that allows users to explore data geographically down to the census tract and block group levels. Using the best available information, the website serves as a common source for data and interactive visualizations that will inform community members on critical topics related to the economic and social health, as well as progress of our region.
“The Community Foundation is pleased to be a partner in this important project as it will help better understand our communities and inform stakeholders, agencies and charitable organizations as they take action to address the challenges they face,” said John Eberle, Executive Director of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. “I’m inspired by the collaborative effort among the project partners and we believe that this resource will support positive change in our region.”
“CDTC is pleased to partner with CDRPC, the Capital Region Chamber, the Community Foundation and the AVAIL Lab on the Regional Indicators dashboard,” said Michael Franchini, Executive Director of the Capital District Transportation Committee. “We expect the dashboard to be a useful tool for our members, non-profits, businesses, and community groups.”
