City of Bryan Social Inclusion Data Toolkit

InclusionUS was invited to develop a social inclusion strategy for the City of Bryan, Texas.  Bryan is a vibrant community adjacent to Texas A&M University, with a poverty rate of nearly 29%.

The critical fist step involved getting all of Bryan’s partners to articulate a common economic and social narrative.  Bryan’s social inclusion data tool kit helped elected officials, the school district, community representatives, mental health workers, local business owners, youth workers, health care consultants, bank executives, workforce development, housing, faith leaders, Texas A&M University, the nonprofit sector, and law enforcement to agree a shared data story.

Download the Social Inclusion Data Toolkit (XLS). To make the toolkit work:

1. If prompted, choose to open in Excel
2. Go to the “tool” page of the tool kit spreadsheet
3. Click the box to the right of “pick a subject area”
4. Click the box to the right of “pick an indicator”
5. You’ll see the social inclusion graph, and corresponding numbers, change accordingly.

Those of us who work in communities understand economic opportunity, but often can’t find accurate language to describe the differences that exist within a few miles or even city blocks.  This affects our ability to make progress.

Economic  and social inclusion “tells it like it is” in a way that won’t allow us to deny the challenges we face.  We have strong city, public, and private partnerships and a new social inclusion strategy that will turn our community around.

Social inclusion is a positive goal and we can measure it!  With a common data toolkit, we know that reaching our social inclusion targets over the next 5 to 10 years will greatly increase economic opportunities for all of our residents.”

– Jeannie McGuire, MS, LBSW-IPR, Founder and President of Project Unity, a non-profit organization in Bryan, Texas www.projectunitytx.org

–Ronnie Jackson, Nieghborhood and Youth Services Manager, city of Bryan , Texas www.bryantx.gov

City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Social Inclusion Analysis

InclusionUS was engaged by the Forbes Fund and the Greater PIttsburgh Nonprofit Partnership to design the groundwork for a Social Inclusion and Zero Poverty Plan for the City of Pittsburgh.  Findings were presented to invited guests at the Pittsburgh Nonprofit Summit on May 12, 2011.  See findings from the social inclusion analysis.