Document 291326
Sample Organization & Project Descriptions Arts & Culture Legal Mural_Arts_Program Immigration_Advocates_Network Mapping community engagement and targeting neighborhoods for art education programming Measuring The Impact of the Availability of Legal Services on Naturalization Rates in the U.S. // Mapping Legal Services Organizations Capacity to Respond to State and Local Enforcement // Understanding the Capacity of the Immigrants’ Rights Sector to Respond to Federal Immigration Reform Measures Waterbury_Symphony_Orchestra Measuring community support and planning concerts, event and education programming expansion Education/Families Philadelphia_Public_School_Notebook: Economic/Community Development Evaluating changes to school catchment areas resulting from the Renaissance Schools Initiative Campaign_for_Working_Families Environment Identifying areas of underservice for free tax preparation and EITC utilization // Analyzing spatial mismatch in volunteer availability & need // Targeting financial workshops and coaching in Empowerment Zones Audubon_Pennsylvania DataHaven Analyzing spatial and species patterns in bird collisions in downtown Philadelphia Analyzing the associations between neighborhood indicators in the Greater New Haven and Valley Region Carnegie Endowment for International Peace New Kensington Community Development Corp. Coal extraction scenarios and climate change modeling in China and the U.S. Analyzing the impact of the Sustainable 19125 initiative National_Parks_Conservation_Association Visualizing the impact of Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative on property vacancy, use, and values PlanPhilly Assessing the impact of fences on wildlife migration in Grand Teton National Park Stroud_Water_Research_Center Public Health/Food Evaluating the impact of vegetation changes in the riparian buffer on stream geomorphology and the fish community Health Promotion Council Identifying locations for the expansion of the Cultivating Community Campaign (CCC) food access initiative Housing Public_Health_Management_Corporation Regional_Housing_Legal_Services Comparing the residential locations & neighborhood characteristics of young men who have sex with men in Philadelphia & Baltimore Geographic targeting of energy-efficiency investment for consumers and property owners 1 Contents Arts & Culture ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Mural Arts Program (Art Education) ......................................................................................................... 3 Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, Inc. ...................................................................................................... 5 Education & Families..................................................................................................................................... 7 Philadelphia Public School Notebook ....................................................................................................... 7 Environment ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Audubon Pennsylvania – the state program of the National Audubon Society ....................................... 9 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace ....................................................................................... 11 National Parks Conservation Association – Grand Teton ....................................................................... 13 Stroud Water Research Center ............................................................................................................... 15 Housing ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 Regional Housing Legal Services ............................................................................................................. 17 Legal ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 Immigration Advocates Network (A Project of Pro Bono Net) ............................................................... 19 Community & Economic Development....................................................................................................... 22 The Campaign for Working Families ....................................................................................................... 22 DataHaven............................................................................................................................................... 25 New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) ........................................................ 26 PlanPhilly ................................................................................................................................................. 28 Public Health & Food .................................................................................................................................. 30 Health Promotion Council of Southeastern PA (HPC)............................................................................. 30 Public Health Management Corporation ................................................................................................ 32 2 Arts & Culture Mural Arts Program (Art Education) Mapping community engagement and targeting neighborhoods for art education programming Website: http://www.muralarts.org/arted Mission: The Mural Arts Program unites artists and communities through a collaborative process, rooted in the traditions of mural making, to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives. Mural Arts began in 1984 as part of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network’s effort to eradicate the city’s graffiti crisis. Artist Jane Golden was hired to reach out to graffiti writers and redirect their energies to constructive public art projects. The collaborative effort of mural-making provided a support structure through which budding artists could develop their skills and take an active role in beautifying communities. The program also produced positive impacts that went well beyond those originally imagined. In addition to addressing the problem of graffiti, our collective mural-making processes proved a powerful tool for generating dialogue, building relationships, empowering communities, and sparking economic revitalization. In 1996, the Anti-Graffiti Network was reorganized and the Mural Arts Program became its own entity, with Golden in place as the director. Soon after, she established the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates, making Mural Arts a unique public/private partnership between city agency and nonprofit. Spatial Analysis Project(s): analyze geographic location of people who attend community meetings, paint days and other events related to mural projects and art education sites analyze geographic location of students in our program to identify how many come from high crime police districts or areas that are heavily served by the Department of Human Services (a major funder) to help us determine potential areas for new sites. How project supports mission: We partner with school and neighborhood sites throughout the city, with the goal of addressing the needs of youth living in underserved communities. These findings will help us identify those areas where underserved youth live or attend school. Data available: Sign in sheets providing participant addresses at public/community events Students applications with addresses and zip codes map/list of high crime police district zip codes map of concentration of DHS services in Philadelphia Describe maps and reports: concentration/geographic location of people who attend community meetings, paint days and other events related to mural projects and art education sites concentration/geographic location of students in our program in relation to high crime police districts or areas that are heavily served by the Department of Human Services How maps and reports will be used: identify areas where more outreach is needed to get participants for events 3 help us determine potential areas for new art education sites/target populations report % of students who live in high crime police districts or areas that are heavily served by the Department of Human Services for our funders/grant applications develop strategies to recruit students from underserved areas 4 Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, Inc. Measuring community support and planning concerts, event and education programming expansion Website: http://www.waterburysymphony.org Mission: To improve the quality of life for the people of Northwest Connecticut through high quality orchestral performances and experiential music education programs. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The WSO has identified geographic expansion as a primary vehicle by which to increase the size of its audience, donor and corporate sponsor base. Our spatial analysis project will have two components: 1.) To fully analyze our existing constituencies in regard to demographic makeup and transactional habits. 2.) Analyze the surrounding communities to determine which of them are most capable of providing similar constituencies to support WSO concerts, special events and education programs. How project supports mission: The geospatial analysis project will not only assist us in fulfilling our mission, but in reaching the goals identified in our 2012-2015 strategic plan by providing clear analysis of our current clients and which communities can support future growth. Our strategic goals include: Expand the subscription concert series, repeat performances and education programs throughout the region. Develop new and diversified funding streams including a planned giving program, major gift program, and signature fundraising event. Develop an organization-wide marketing program including market segmentation and collaborative efforts with other arts organizations. Expand and diversify the board of directors to better reflect the entire greater Waterbury region. Data available: Data sets in hand include transactional histories for existing ticket buyers, donors and corporate sponsors, as well as demographic data for ticket buyers and donors, dating from 2005 to date. Transactional data includes all information relevant to ticket purchases, season subscriptions, individual donations, concert and event sponsorships (date, amount, number of tickets, type of concert seating, type of concert or event sponsored, etc.). Additional data sets include general demographic information for Waterbury and the surrounding suburban communities, (population, household makeup, income, education, age, ethnicity, etc.). Describe maps and reports: This project will provide us with statistical and visual representations of the above referenced data sets as well as geographical representation of potential communities most likely to provide success for the WSO. Reports: 5 Profiles of existing WSO constituencies in regard to location, income, age, etc. (classical concert single ticket buyers vs. pops concert single ticket buyers; subscription buyers vs. donors, sponsors vs. special event attendees, etc.) Maps: Financial and demographic analysis of existing constituencies in each specific community of Waterbury and the surrounding towns. Demographic representation of suburban communities currently under-involved with the WSO. How maps and reports will be used: The project outputs will directly influence our marketing strategy of existing and future WSO products, as well as provide clear identification of which communities are most appropriate for geographic expansion. 6 Education & Families Philadelphia Public School Notebook Evaluating changes to school catchment areas resulting from the Renaissance Schools Initiative Website: http://www.thenotebook.org Mission: The mission of the Notebook is to promote informed public involvement in the Philadelphia public schools and to contribute to the development of a strong movement for educational change in the city. By providing information and analysis of educational issues, we support the efforts of parents, teachers, students, and communities to organize for improved conditions in their schools. We want to see schools that are affirming of all students, enabling them to become critically thinking, active participants in society. We place particular emphasis on the needs of schools that serve low-income communities and communities of color, which are the most seriously hurt by the failings of public education. We are committed to transforming our two-track education system, which provides decent schools only for some children. Students should not be denied a quality educational experience because of their race, class, gender, language, or disability. We believe that public education can fulfill its promise of promoting democracy and social justice. But to bring about positive change in a large urban school system like Philadelphia's will require a massive effort – starting with alliances of people at the grassroots level working to make their schools and the whole system work more effectively. The Notebook plays a vital role by offering a vision of quality public education, and by providing news, dialogue, commentary, and promising strategies to support and inspire people who are working for change. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The Notebook would like assistance in developing four maps to evaluate how catchment areas for schools have changed as a result of the Renaissance Schools Initiative. Starting with the 2010-11 school year, neighborhood schools were turned over to charter operators. How have the changes affected catchment areas and feeder patterns? These maps over time would likely illustrate how the catchment areas and feeder patterns in different neighborhoods are being consolidated for different charter providers, e.g. "the balkanization of the School District." How project supports mission: School turnaround efforts are a major political issue in education right now. In Philadelphia, these efforts are affecting thousands of teachers, students, and family. The Notebook's mission is to promote public involvement in order to support a movement for education change. Clear, descriptive information about the impact of Renaissance Schools is a critical component of informing communities about these decisions. Data available: SABINS has been gathering school catchment GIS data, http://www.sabinsdata.org/userresources/project-description 7 We have existing maps of Renaissance Schools locations (http://www.thenotebook.org/renaissanceschools-page), and could provide necessary additional data and material. 8 Environment Audubon Pennsylvania – the state program of the National Audubon Society Analyzing spatial and species patterns in bird collisions in downtown Philadelphia Website: http://pa.audubon.org Mission: The mission of Audubon Pennsylvania is "to conserve and restore natural ecosystems in Pennsylvania, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats through science, education and advocacy, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity." Spatial Analysis Project(s): It is estimated that several million to as many as one billion individuals of North America’s native bird species collide with buildings each year with the majority dying on impact. These collisions are caused mainly by the fact that most birds do not understand what glass is: they perceive reflections of trees, the sky and the general landscape on glass surfaces to be real scenes that they can fly into, or they fly into non-reflective glass because it may appear invisible to them. Ambient lighting at night and lights on inside of buildings at night exacerbate these problems. Collisions occur most often during migratory periods when millions of migrating birds pass through cities while traveling between their breeding and wintering grounds. Hundreds of North America’s bird species are affected including many that are uncommon and declining, and collisions are now believed to be one of the most important causes of decline in many of these species. Bird collisions have been monitored in Toronto, New York City, Chicago and other large cities for several decades and it is estimated that one million collisions occur each year in the city of Toronto alone. In order to obtain baseline data about the nature and extent of the problem in Philadelphia Audubon Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia conducted a collaborative study of bird collisions in Philadelphia from 2008 through 2011. During the study a 3.5 square block section of center city Philadelphia was monitored for dead and injured birds 7 days a week throughout the spring and autumn migration periods. Detailed information was recorded about each bird found. From this data we estimate that about 1000 bird collisions probably occur within the study area each year. It has always been assumed that bird collisions occur randomly and that no species is more likely to fly into a particular structure than another. But the data collected by this study (which contains more detailed information on each specimen than has ever been gathered by any other collision monitoring project) suggests that the distribution of specimens may not have been random. Spatial analysis would be needed to determine whether the distributions are random or not. If non-random distributions are found this would demonstrate for the first time that factors other than glass and lights may also be involved in causing bird collisions. Specifically, we suspect that birds may be interpreting buildings as areas of potential habitat and certain kinds of buildings or groupings of buildings may appear more attractive to some species than to others. How project will support mission: Audubon is committed to pursuing actions that will protect all of North America’s bird species from decline, including species that are still relatively common. Bird collisions now threaten over half of North 9 America’s native bird species. Any new information that would help explain why collisions occur so commonly in cities would enable us to find better solutions to this ever-growing problem. Data available: Throughout the 3-year study detailed information was recorded about each dead or injured bird found including the date, time, location (street address, side of nearest building and distance from nearest building), species name, specimen condition and other details. Dead or injured individuals of approximately 50 different species were found during the study. Describe maps and reports: One map layer would be produced for each of the species found showing where all dead and injured individuals of that species were discovered within the study area during the 3-year study. Spatial analysis would then be used to evaluate each distribution pattern for randomness. If non-random distributions are found one of the variables most likely to be associated with this is landscape structure which could be described through features like building height, building closeness, etc. Exploring which variables might be associated with non-random distributions is an area a student working on this project would be encouraged to pursue. Audubon Pennsylvania currently has limited aptitude to do this kind of work because we have only one (part-time) GIS technician who works almost exclusively on large-scale projects that are being coordinated with other parts of the national organization. How maps and reports will be used: The maps will indicate whether the specimens of each species were randomly distributed within the study area or not. We have not yet determined the exact method that will be used to evaluate each distribution pattern for randomness. However if non-random distributions are found and these can be associated with specific factors like structural features of the landscape such a finding could enable recommendations to be created for improved design of buildings and cityscapes to reduce collision rates throughout the world. The hypothesis that bird collisions may not occur randomly is one that has never been investigated before. If non-random distributions are found such a finding would also merit publication so that other researchers could help us think creatively about this finding. 10 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Coal extraction scenarios and climate change modeling in China and the U.S. Website: http://www.carnegieendowment.org Mission: The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States. Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program engages global experts working in energy technology, environmental science, and political economy to develop practical solutions for policy makers around the world. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The geographic conditions that shape China and the U.S. are strikingly similar. This is especially true when it comes to coal and climate. Carnegie staff worked with students in a University of Virginia GIS Mapping Class in Spring 2011 to develop a first-of-its-kind dataset that compares coal resources in the two countries. This data is the subject of a forthcoming report that will be released by Carnegie later this spring in Chinese and English. With the support of an Azavea Summer of Maps intern, Carnegie would like to take this project to the next level so that it can be included in our Coal Value Chain initiative, an effort to develop policies that promote cleaner and more efficient use of coal in China. The intern would be responsible for mapping scenarios for future coal extraction on the climates in China and the U.S. Some of the key research questions to analyze and map might include: What could be the impact of future coal production on water resources in the U.S. and China and how do these impacts compare? How might desertification affect the ability to extract and process coal reserves in China and the U.S.? What are the possible scenarios for a major earthquake tremor in these nations’ coal regions? How do the urban development patterns of these two nations compare with respect to their proximity to coal reserves? How might coal reserves and associated air pollution sources interface with changing urban growth boundaries in the future? We recognize that answering all of these questions would likely take more than three months, and will work with Azavea and the intern to scope out a project that is achievable in the given timeframe. How project supports mission: In a very real sense, China and the U.S. will succeed or fail together in facing global energy and climate challenges. Close cooperation between China and the U.S. will enhance the capacity of each nation to progress toward a more sustainable energy balance, improve the efficiency of their respective coal value chains, and further global progress toward a low-carbon power sector. Future scenarios on coal and climate in China and the U.S. that are laid out in clear visual terms on maps hold out the promise to advance bilateral cooperation and collaboration. The extent to which maps can help China and the U.S. gain a better mutual understanding of their parallel positions on coal and climate, the smoother the global transition to a low-carbon energy future. Data available: Data has already been collected and entered into ArcGIS for base maps on coal distributions and general climate conditions. We have access to up-to-date data from scholarly and government sources should 11 any supplements be necessary. The student will have access to a wide array of international experts to facilitate scenario planning, all of whom are working with Carnegie on a larger Coal Value Chain project. Describe maps and output: The intern will create scenario-based maps that may incorporate text and charts for use in print and the web. They will based, in part, on existing maps we have produced that illustrate temperature contours, heating and cooling degree days, population distributions, waterways, railways, seismic activity, coal resource locations, and global carbon emissions. How maps and reports will be used: The maps will first be released on Carnegie’s award-winning website for a global audience in English and Chinese, and at a series of major events in Washington, DC and Beijing in fall 2012. They will be featured in bi-lateral exchanges between U.S. and Chinese experts working on Carnegie’s Coal Value Chain project. And they will be part of the final project report due to be published in spring 2013. The Coal Value Chain report will feature the student by name and fully acknowledge support from Azavea and the important contribution made through the Summer of Maps 2012 program. 12 National Parks Conservation Association – Grand Teton Assessing the impact of fences on wildlife migration in Grand Teton National Park Website: http://www.npca.org Mission: NPCA’s mission is to protect and enhance America’s National Park System for present and future generations. Spatial Analysis Project(s): National Parks Conservation Association’s (NPCA) mission is to protect and enhance America’s National Parks for present and future generations. A particular focus of NPCA’s Grand Teton Field office is to work to protect wildlife and their migration corridors. Concerns have been raised by NPCA members and the local community in Teton County, WY regarding existing fencing within Grand Teton National Park. NPCA would like to better understand the perceived problems with existing fences in Grand Teton National Park and whether conflicts exist for wildlife. How project supports mission: The national parks are home to the wildlife we need to protect for present and future generations. The wildlife within Grand Teton National Park relies heavily on their ability to move freely within the park, and between the park and adjacent lands. Wildlife move to lower elevations during the winter months, in search of more abundant food sources found on private lands. We are working to educate all stakeholders about the negative impact of fences on wildlife movement and ensure the free movement of the park’s wildlife. Data available: The GIS data includes shape files for four attribute layers covering Grand Teton National Park that will be necessary to support the project. These include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Fence shape files Land ownership shape files Topographic terrain shape files Vegetation cover shape files Describe maps and reports: There will be several maps created in order for NPCA to complete a fence assessment. There will be initial maps created to be used for field work. Once the field work is completed, the field observations on current conditions need to be incorporated into final maps for analysis and NPCA’s assessment report. This assessment will enable NPCA to understand the areas where improvements can be made, and identify existing wildlife friendly fences that do not need improvements. How maps and reports will be used: The maps will allow NPCA to understand the current status and extent of fences in Grand Teton National Park that may affect wildlife movements within the park and between the park and adjacent lands. NPCA will complete field work on accessible fences to assess their type, condition, height and potential hazards or barriers to wildlife. Of particular interest are fences that are in known movement corridors for ungulates. 13 NPCA will also incorporate available information on past fence removals in the park and assess what has been done well in fence design, such as current wildlife crossings and fences that meet wildlife friendly specifications. The report will acknowledge historic and present land uses and management needs for fences, such as ranch in-holdings and seasonal horse pastures. This fencing assessment will enable NPCA to offer specific critique of potential problem fences and make recommendations to Grand Teton National Park for design modifications that will serve both resource management needs and reduce or remove conflicts with wildlife. Additional comments: As this will be used to make recommendations to Grand Teton National Park, it is important that this student has experience performing analysis with ArcGIS regarding topography, vegetation and natural resources. In addition, it would be helpful if the student was located within the Rocky Mountain region. 14 Stroud Water Research Center Evaluating the impact of vegetation changes in the riparian buffer on stream geomorphology and the fish community Website: http://www.stroudcenter.org Mission: The mission of the Stroud Water Research Center is to advance our global knowledge and stewardship of fresh water systems through research and education Driven by the philosophy that understanding the science of fresh water is fundamental to our ability to protect the integrity of this finite and vital resource, the Center seeks to disseminate its research findings to its peers in the scientific and educational communities, as well as businesses, landowners, policy makers and individuals, to enable informed decision making that affects water quality and availability in our local communities and the world around us. We accomplish our goals through our pursuit of both basic and applied scientific research, as well as through educational programs, which serve audiences ranging in age from elementary school children to adults in continuing education programs. Stroud Water Research Center undertakes applied research projects for public agencies and private corporations in an effort to provide solutions to water resource problems throughout the world. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The goal of the project is to understand how changes in the vegetation immediately adjacent to a stream, known as the riparian buffer, impact stream geomorphology and the fish community. This goal will be accomplished by 1) quantifying the spatial distribution of stream geomorphological characteristics over 2 kilometers of White Clay Creek across a transition between +150 year old woods, +20 year old woods, and a meadow; 2) testing for the stability of stream geomorphology within each riparian vegetation type between the summer of 2011 and the spring of 2012 when two large floods occurred; and 3) testing for connections between stream geomorphology and fish community abundance and biomass between the three riparian vegetation types. How project supports mission: This project is part of an ongoing effort by scientists at the Stroud Water Research Center to understand the impacts of changes in the vegetation immediately adjacent to a stream on the chemical, physical and biological aspects of the stream ecosystem. This project will immediately contribute to two National Science Foundation funded projects that are examining connections between land use and stream structure and function. The GIS data set produced through this project will also serve as a foundational data set that scientists can use to monitor long-term changes in the stream geomorphology and test other hypotheses about riparian buffers and stream structure and function. Data available: Four data sets currently exist or will exist by the summer of 2012 to support this project. An ultra-high resolution LIDAR point cloud survey (10-20 points per square meter interpolated to a 0.25 m DEM) was measured by the National Center for Laser Airborne Mapping (NCALM) on the terrestrial landscape and tree canopy over the entire watershed during leaf off and leaf on conditions in 2010. This data set forms the foundation for all geomorphic characterization. In 2011 fish abundance and biomass were measured 15 in 15 contiguous sub-reaches of approximately 20 m each for a total of 300 meters within and 900 meters among all three riparian types. In the summer of 2011 each of these sub-reaches was mapped at transects approximately 4 meters apart. Across each transect stream width, depth, substrate type and current velocity were measured. In the spring of 2012 we repeated this mapping survey using a Total Station Survey and crew that recorded the same parameters excluding the velocity measurements. In addition, the second survey located and categorized wood debris deposits/accumulations within and adjacent to the stream channel. Describe maps and reports: We would like this project to produce maps of the stream width and water depth, substrate, habitat type (i.e. pool, riffle, run), current velocity, and wood accumulations for each riparian buffer type as well building maps of fish abundance and biomass within each 20m sub-reach. We believe that many of these habitat attributes might be quantifiable from the LIDAR point cloud after be ground-truthed or "trained" by the on-the-ground surveys. In order to understand the impacts of riparian vegetation on stream geomorphology we would like tests to be performed for differences in critical attributes of the stream geomorphology (e.g., mean and variance of stream width and depth, and pool/riffle structure) among the three riparian vegetation types. We would also like tests to be performed for changes in stream width and depth at each transect within each riparian vegetation type before and after two large floods. How maps and reports will be used: The maps and reports from this project will be incorporated into scientific publications written by scientists at the Stroud Water Research Center as well as in communications with fellow scientists and funding agencies. The results will also be used to guide future research efforts. Additional comments: The selected intern would be encouraged to visit the Stroud Water Research Center and field sites, to exchange information with the scientists and to collect additional data for ground-truthing any develop algorithms, for example, that might locate Large Woody Debris from the LIDAR point cloud data. 16 Housing Regional Housing Legal Services Geographic targeting of energy-efficiency investment for consumers and property owners Website: http://www.rhls.org Name: Rachel Blake Mission: RHLS works to create housing and economic opportunity in under-served communities in Pennsylvania and to effect systematic change for the benefit of lower-income households statewide RHLS achieves its mission by: Providing free legal services and technical assistance to community-based organizations that develop affordable housing and engage in economic development activities that benefit lowincome people; Informing, training and supporting consumers and those who serve consumers, on housing and utility issues; and Engaging in policy analysis and promoting system innovations focused on critical housing, economic development, neighborhood revitalization and utility issues. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The proposed spatial analysis project would support efforts to increase awareness of energy-efficiency opportunities for consumers and for large multifamily property owners. There are national and local efforts underway to increase awareness about the value of energy efficiency improvements, to increase access to funding for energy efficiency improvements, and to help induce property owners to take steps to improve the energy-efficiency of their property. RHLS, through its role as a founder of the Philadelphia Weatherization and Conservation Collaborative (PWCC), has been working to address these issues locally. The PWCC is a public and private collaborative of over 25 organizations, including RHLS, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, various public and private owners and operators of multifamily affordable housing, local and state governmental agencies, and several utilities. The PWCC brings together practitioners, administrators, and advocates on a quarterly basis to identify opportunities to increase weatherization and retrofit opportunities for affordable housing and in lowincome communities. The PWCC’s work currently focuses on: 1) increasing energy-efficiency in affordable multifamily properties in Pennsylvania; and 2) increasing the scale of weatherization activity in affordable multifamily housing and in low-income communities. Currently, there are a variety of different programs and funding sources for property owners looking to increase energy-efficiency. Thus, people in different circumstances will need information about different kinds of programs. One approach to addressing energy-efficiency work is to bundle smaller projects together into larger projects that would create efficiencies of scale which would provide savings to property owners. This pooling also should provide a pool large enough for funders to get involved. Currently, there is a challenge in accessing funding for this work due to the small size of the typical loan. 17 One of the most promising ways to address the bundling issue is to geographically target the work. Geographic targeting (block-by-block approach) helps to capture economies of scale, provides exposure to residents, and makes it easier to perform outreach. This spatial analysis project would help us determine which specific geographic areas are best suited for different incentives/funding-types and to understand which types of outreach are best suited for those areas. How project supports mission: The project will support RHLS' mission by helping to identify the most fruitful locations to launch energyefficiency efforts. Energy-efficiency is especially important to low-income households and nonprofit owners of affordable housing. These groups are least able to handle spikes in energy costs. They also have the most need for decreasing their existing costs -- as many are just barely getting by, if that. The project will also support two of the three ways we work toward our mission: 1. The information will be useful to our community development corporation clients, our utility arm (the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project), and others. 2. The information will engage our policy partners and should support system innovation. Data available: information about subsidized multifamily properties (publicly available from HUD, additional more up-to-date information may be available through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA)) information about housing cost burdens, repair expenses, age of home, utility types, etc. are available through the US Census or the American Community Survey or American Housing Survey information about applicants to a subsidized weatherization program from PHFA should be available from PHFA information about utility use may be available from PECO, PGW, and/or Philadelphia Water Department Describe maps and reports: 1. maps showing areas that are likely to have the most significant need for energy-efficiency improvements (older homes, lower incomes, lower reported repairs, higher utility bills, etc.) 2. maps showing areas where homeowners are likely to qualify for various existing weatherization programs (including color-coding to indicate where people will likely need all free resources, where they could likely afford a small loan, where they could afford larger loans, gaps in current product coverage). 3. a report, bolstered by statistics and maps, that identifies several areas in Philadelphia that are good initial targets for trying to increase awareness and update of energy-efficiency measures on a "block-by-block" basis. How maps and reports will be used: The maps and reports will be shared with PWCC partners, through the RHLS website and other promotional materials, partners, and funders, as appropriate. The goal will be to generate discussion and then resources to invest in kickstarting geographically concentrated energy-efficiency improvements that will allow help people have more affordable, comfortable homes. 18 Legal Immigration Advocates Network (A Project of Pro Bono Net) Measuring the Impact of the Availability of Legal Services on Naturalization Rates in the U.S. // Mapping Legal Services Organizations Capacity to Respond to State and Local Enforcement // Understanding the Capacity of the Immigrants’ Rights Sector to Respond to Federal Immigration Reform Measures Website: http://www.immigrationadvocates.org Mission: The Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) is a collaborative effort of leading immigrants' rights organizations designed to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them. IAN promotes more effective and efficient communication, collaboration, and services among immigration advocates and organizations by providing free, easily accessible and comprehensive online resources and tools. IAN's partners include the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, American Bar Association Commission on Immigration, American Immigration Council, American Immigration Lawyers Association, ASISTA, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, National Immigration Law Center, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, Pro Bono Net, and the Advocates for Human Rights. The Immigration Advocates Network is the country’s largest network of nonprofit and pro bono immigration advocates, with over 5,000 members in all 50 states. In 2011 we launched the first ever interactive, online directory of nonprofit immigration legal services providers (see e.g. www.immigrationlawhelp.org), which includes comprehensive data on over 950 nonprofits serving lowincome immigrants. In addition to location and contact information, this dataset includes the type and areas of legal assistance provided, languages spoken, number of attorneys and other legal staff, detention facilities served, and other types of non-legal assistance provided, such as ESL programs, social services, and community-based referrals. Spatial Analysis Project(s): For the first time ever, we are in a position to map the capacity of the immigrants’ rights sector and its ability to respond to new and emerging issues that disproportionately impact the lives of lowimmigrants in the United State. For the purposes of this project we propose to focus on one or more of the following areas: 1) low naturalization rates among legal permanent residents, 2) the devastating impact of state and local legislation (such as Arizona’s SB1070) and enforcement activities (like the Secure Communities program) on immigrant communities, and 3) the ability of the immigrants’ rights sector to respond meaningfully to any new federal legislation, including the DREAM Act, Ag Jobs, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). The Impact of the Availability of Legal Services on Naturalization Rates in the U.S. Nationally, it is estimated that there are 8.5 million lawful permanent residents who are eligible to apply for citizenship. However, less than 1 million naturalize every year. For many immigrants, the complex laws and regulations that govern the process of naturalization are intimidating. Others simply lack the resources to hire an attorney to begin the process. This project would use available data to better understand the relationship between the availability of legal services and naturalization rates using our legal services dataset and recent data compiled by Dr. Manuel Pastor, which includes numbers of naturalization eligible at the county level based on USCIS data. 19 Mapping Legal Services Organizations Capacity to Respond to State and Local Enforcement Due largely to the failure of Congress to act on comprehensive immigration reform, in the last several years immigrants’ rights advocates have faced a significant increase in state and local immigration enforcement activities, which are being carried out by federal authorities independently, as well as through increased collaboration with state and local law enforcement. While these activities are carried out under the stated objective of removing high priority categories of immigrants, the reality is that these priorities are often not met without violations of due process and adverse consequences for nonpriority immigrants and their families. For this reason, it has remained critical to monitor, report and respond to enforcement activities. This project will focus on mapping the capacity of the immigrants’ rights sector to respond to state and local enforcement activities, including better understanding the various geographic and demographic factors at play. Understanding the Capacity of the Immigrants’ Rights Sector to Respond to Federal Immigration Reform Measures While some states are passing pro-immigrant measures, such as tuition equity laws, meaningful immigration reform must come at the federal level. Proposals that have gained traction include the DREAM Act, which would provide a meaningful path to citizenship for undocumented youth and military personnel, Ag Jobs, which would provide a legal, stable labor supply and help ensure that farmworkers are treated fairly, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), which could include aspects of the DREAM and Ag Jobs bills, as well as provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who pay their taxes, don’t have criminal histories, and are otherwise productive members of our society. Based on the increased demand that they would create, these potential reform measures would put enormous pressure on nonprofit organizations providing legal services to low-income immigrants. By preparing for the passage of these measures, the immigrants’ rights sector will be better positioned to respond more efficiently and effectively to these new demands. How project will support mission: IAN’s core mission is to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them. This type of project bears directly on our goal to provide the field with timely, accurate information and resources that they need to be effective. Most local nonprofit immigrants’ rights organizations simply do not have the resources to do this type of work. By leveraging our directory dataset and other available data, we hope to provide the field with the resources and tools that they need to make positive change in the lives of the immigrants and communities that they serve. Data available: In addition to our recently compiled national immigration legal services directory dataset, these projects will leverage public data available from Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and state and local agencies. Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and organizations such as the Migration Policy Institute, which maintains a robust data hub, may also be used. Describe maps and reports: The outputs for each of these projects will be slightly different, but all three will likely require a set of maps that get at the underlying question/analysis, a list of data sources and datasets used to produce the maps, and a narrative report that addresses relevant research and specific findings. We will work with national experts at our partner organizations and other groups to help develop the scope and specific deliverables for each project. Our expectation is that the student would 20 be the geographic data analyst and project lead, but would work with IAN staff and other experts to develop and support each project. How maps and reports will be used: The maps and reports will be used to inform our strategic planning and programmatic activities in each of these areas, as well as distributed to our membership and partners as appropriate (e.g. through a webinar or webinar series for immigrants’ rights groups as well as on our website). We would look to make as much of the work as possible available to the public, with the understanding that there may be reasons why some of the work product may not be made public for strategic/advocacy reasons. 21 Community & Economic Development The Campaign for Working Families Identifying areas of underservice for free tax preparation and EITC utilization // Analyzing spatial mismatch in volunteer availability & need // Targeting financial workshops and coaching in Empowerment Zones Website: http://www.cwfphilly.org Mission: The Campaign for Working Families (CWF) seeks practical ways to improve the economic status of working people in Philadelphia so that working families have the opportunity to increase their income, wisely manage their finances, protect themselves from expensive financial services and build assets. Every year, CWF recruits, trains, and manages over 600 volunteers who staff 11 free tax sites across Philadelphia. Campaign tax sites operate as financial centers providing over 13,000 working families access to important tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit, and asset-building services like savings bonds, public benefits, credit reports and FAFSA. The Campaign brings millions of dollars in tax credits back to Philadelphians and relies upon excellent data and statistics to document the program’s successes, identify weaknesses and plan strategically for the future. Given its scope of services during tax season, CWF has many unique opportunities for mapping and spatial analysis that would be beneficial for both students of mapping and our organization. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The Campaign has three project proposals that would benefit from GIS mapping. Due to some overlap, components of these proposals could be combined but we will keep them distinct for purposes of this application. Project Proposal 1: Tax Site Locations and Services CWF’s primary mission is to increase access to the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits that benefit working families. The IRS estimates that 15-20% of individuals and families eligible for this refundable tax credit do not claim it. Many EITC-eligible families have their taxes prepared by commercial tax preparers or online. Also, an increasing number of customers served by the Campaign are no longer eligible for the EITC due to age, income or number of dependents. These three factors make it imperative that CWF design a strategy to target EITC-eligible families through improved marketing and positioning tax sites in more strategic locations. The Summer of Maps Intern would help answer the following questions: a. What Philadelphia neighborhoods likely have EITC-eligible customers who are not being served by Campaign tax sites? b. What areas of Philadelphia lack free tax preparation services or commercial tax preparation services? c. Do customers go to the tax site closest to their home address? d. How many EITC customers live in certain legislative districts in Philadelphia? What is the average/median return in certain legislative districts in Philadelphia? e. What is the optimal location for a large tax site in Northeast Philadelphia, West Philadelphia and Germantown? Project Proposal 2: Volunteer Management and Retention 22 CWF relies on hundreds of volunteers to deliver tax preparation and other asset-building services to customers to help them get more and save more. Students from area colleges are the largest source of volunteers followed by corporate partners and community members not affiliated with a college or corporation. CWF has had too much success staffing sites in high-traffic areas of the city (Temple University and Center City) but has faced challenges meeting the needs of some tax sites in North Philadelphia (Impact Services, Ceiba Sites), South Philadelphia (Diversified Community Services and United Communities) and Southwest Philadelphia (Ebenezer Temple Church). The Summer of Maps intern would help answer the following questions: a. What areas of the city could use more advertising about volunteer opportunities? b. Do volunteers live near the tax site where they volunteer? c. How do the home addresses of the CWF’s volunteer base compare to CWF’s customer base and how do the underlying census demographics of income and crime correlate? d. Which volunteers could be targeted to support the smaller community sites? e. Where do various groups of volunteers volunteer their time and how can we visualize the impact they are having on the community? Project Proposal 3: Financial Workshops and Coaching in Empowerment Zones Unlike commercial tax preparers, CWF aims to put more money in the pockets of its customers through the Resource Builder program. Resource builders screen tax site customers for public benefits, encourage them to save some of their refund and provide access to prepaid debit cards, credit reports and FAFSA applications. CWF will soon be expanding its programming to provide year-round services that will target customers based on the services they took advantage of at the tax site. Volunteer financial coaches will connect with customers on a personal level while financial workshops provide greater knowledge in the area of financial management, loans and services. One grant CWF has received to provide these services requires that customers come from certain Empowerment Zones with distinct boundaries. The Summer of Maps intern would help answer the following questions: a. Which customers live in the Empowerment Zones and how can we quickly whether a family lives in these areas? b. What mainstream and non-mainstream financial services are available in geographic proximity to customers’ home addresses? c. Are customers who received certain asset-building services concentrated in certain areas of the city? d. What locations for workshops would be most convenient for tax site customers in each empowerment zone? How project supports mission: CWF tax site operations must reach the goal of completing 14,500 tax returns in 2012-13 tax season. We anticipate that the Summer of Maps project will help us become wiser about volunteer recruitment, better able to connect community members to services and keep CWF on the path as a viable alternative to predatory commercial tax preparers. Data available: Project 1: IRS address level data on commercial tax service providers IRS address level data on free tax service providers Deidentified address level data on customer base, EITC customers, customers by tax site Census tract data on income and family size 23 Project 2: CWF address-level data on volunteers for the last three tax seasons. CWF data on volunteer demographics and affiliations and hours US Census data on income/crime Project 3: Deidentified customer data tied to asset-building services received at the tax site Government data on registered banks, registered check cashers, registered tax preparers and other financial services. Locations of local churches, schools and community organizations. Describe maps and reports: Whether it's choropleth maps that include the right data and design to tell a clear story or a report that hinges on statistics gleaned through spatial analysis, we appreciate any output the Summer of Maps intern can provide in getting answers to the questions posed above. In the process of answering these questions, we anticipate that more questions will arise leading the project in the direction that will produce a valuable product by the end of the summer. How maps and reports will be used: The maps and reports will have a direct impact on internal decision-making at CWF. By gaining more knowledge about our operation, we can implement new strategies for setting up the tax site operation, recruiting and training volunteers or providing year-round financial services. The maps and reports will also be used to secure funding to implement these new strategies. CWF relies on grant funding and must often make the case to funders that the services we provide are needed and our intervention strategies are creative and responsive. In addition, CWF relies heavily on schools and corporate partners for volunteers, so it would be helpful to demonstrate the impact various groups of volunteers are having on the community. By including maps in our marketing materials, we will be able to spark interest in volunteering and encourage more people to attend volunteer training and support our work. Lastly, the maps and reports will help make the case for local and state legislators to continue to support the work that we do and actively promote financial services and education in their communities. While we rely on reports to these political figures, many respond well to the powerful stories that maps can share. 24 DataHaven Analyzing the associations between neighborhood indicators in the Greater New Haven and Valley Region Website: http://www.ctdatahaven.org/ Mission: DataHaven is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to improving the Greater New Haven and Valley Region by compiling and sharing high-quality public information for effective decision making. Spatial Analysis Project(s): We have geocoded data sets on many different things - crime, foreclosures, parks, community investments, scholarship recipients, student achievement, block-level health and quality of life survey data, etc. It would be interesting to analyze some of the associations between these measures at a block level and also figure out the best ways to map such data. For example, are elementary school students more likely to achieve in school, or be healthy, when they live in a more stable neighborhood? Are black teenagers more likely to live on a block with foreclosures? How much more likely? How project will support mission: Our mission is to advance data use in Connecticut, and also to serve as a "data coop" that promotes better data sharing between organizations that often operate within "silos". Cutting edge maps and geospatial analyses will help illuminate the potential of good data among a broad audience of policymakers, researchers, nonprofit executives and citizens. We hope this will spur them into thinking of ways that they can share their own data and use it to create smarter public policy. Data available: See question above. In addition to the above list, we have downloaded block-level Census and American Community Survey data that could be helpful. We like to work with Census LED (employer-household dynamics) data as well, which we have not downloaded into a database but which we often use on the OnTheMap application. Describe maps and reports: We regularly work with geospatial analysts on the above issues. We are looking for someone very creative who can help us do more than the standard tables and maps that display block level incident rates. Creating infographics, or more complicated geospatial analyses (e.g., based on point level data rather than data aggregated to a block) is what we are looking to achieve. These will help communicate various issues in New Haven to the general public. How maps and reports will be used: These analyses can be used to support our community projects, including a report for the NAACP, a community indicators report on the entire region, and various public health analyses. These reports will be published in the Fall of 2012 to a wide audience and we would be happy to cite your volunteer's work on anything we publish. 25 New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) Analyzing the impact of the Sustainable 19125 initiative Website: http://www.nkcdc.org Mission: NKCDC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing the Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond neighborhoods of Philadelphia (19125 and 19134 zipcodes). Our mission is to strengthen the physical, social, and economic fabric of the community by being a catalyst for sustainable development and community building. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The spatial analysis project will identify the effectiveness of the Sustainable 19125 initiative (see: www.sustainable19125.org). The program’s goal is to make 19125 the most sustainable zip code in the city. This initiative has already been identified by NeighborWorks America as a model for developing local leadership capacity to green communities. Now completing its 3rd year, NKCDC would like to be able to analyze its impact so that appropriate decision making can occur to create a more effective program and share information with local and national partners. How project supports mission: Our mission is to strengthen the physical, social, and economic fabric of the community by being a catalyst for sustainable development and community building. NKCDC has a profound respect for geographic analysis and graphic representation of efforts and challenges. While many of our staff have an educational background in Geography, there is often a lack of time to be able to produce and analyze these maps to the extent desired. The maps will be used to identify impact, inform and steer programmatic direction, identify impact, and serve as a reporting and fundraising tool. NKCDC has a reputation for being a creative community development organization and seeks to use these tools to build upon our tradition of foresight and responsible risk taking. Data available: NKCDC has over 100 data sets that have been collected for the neighborhood and are linked to parcel shape files. These include but are not limited to vacancy, tree coverage, façade condition, green actions, neighborhood leaders, etc. Supplementary data is available through: Current data identifying green actions linked to individual addresses (excel), 2012 U.S. Census Bureau Temple University analysis on baseline green actions, 2010 NKCDC Success Measures Resident Quality of Life Survey, 2010 Cartographic Modeling Lab University of Pennsylvania Neighborhood Information System Police District Crime Statistics TRF Mapping Access Sustainable19125.org mapping tool Describe maps and reports: 1. Mapping of all collected green action data and analysis on whether there is a linkage between trained leaders and green neighborhood actions. 2. Mapping of vacancy rates, and other indicators within commercial corridors over time. 3. Mapping of baseline data for new green community. Identification of additional data collection strategies which will serve to inform this spatial analysis over time. 26 How maps and reports will be used: The maps will be used to identify impact, inform and steer programmatic direction, identify impact, and serve as a reporting and fundraising tool. Additional comments: NKCDC is an organization that frequently receives national recognition for its programs and services. Many of these programs have started as pilot programs, which are then duplicated in other parts of the city and the country. For example, NKCDC's Vacant Land Management Program became the model for addressing vacancy in post industrial cities. More recently, NKCDC's Sustainable 19125 program is being looked at as a national model for how to create sustainable communities and local green action (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U4XRse1FQDM ). 27 PlanPhilly Visualizing the impact of Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative on property vacancy, use, and values Website: http://www.planphilly.com Mission: PlanPhilly engages and educates citizens on the value of a well-designed city and encourages active involvement in shaping it through news coverage and content sharing. PlanPhilly is a project of PennPraxis, the clinical arm of PennDesign. Spatial Analysis Project(s): Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative was born in 2001 as an effort to renew neighborhoods by targeting public investments in order to stimulate private development. Now that ten years have passed since NTI started, what does the legacy of NTI look like? This project seeks to visualize the measurable outcomes of Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative on property vacancy, use, and values. Where are did NTI interventions lead to private investment and new community assets? How did NTI shape Philadelphia's current portfolio of vacant property? How project supports mission: PlanPhilly is a news website focusing on planning, development, and design in Philadelphia. PlanPhilly’s core mission is to engage and educate citizens on the value of a well-designed city. This project will help deliver information to PlanPhilly readers to contextualize the city’s current debate over different approaches to its vacant land. Data available: On hand/available: Current L&I data (permits, inspections, vacancy) via License to Inspect API RDA (PRA) vacancy data [http://planphilly.com/abandoned-city] Department of Public Property Data (Public Property, RDA) (http://www.phila.gov/pdfs/propertyinventory.pdf) Public Property Listings (http://www.phila.gov/publicproperty/listings/) Water Department (Properties classified as “Vacant lot” by PWD) Possible sources: PHS "Clean and Green" c. 2010 (via PennPraxis' Green 2015 planning) BRT data on publicly owned property Community garden and survey (UPenn) NTI-related data sets from RDA, OHCD, The Reinvestment Fund, and PIDC Describe maps and reports: 1. A comprehensive spreadsheet of properties directly touched by NTI clearance, assembly, and/or acquisition, and the property's current use/status. 2. We hope the analysis could result in the following maps: Comparison maps of total vacancy with city-owned vacant property c. 2001, c.2006, c. 2011 / detail maps of six NTI acquisition zones 28 Map of the ~ 10,000 city-owned vacant parcels showing which were acquired/cleared as part of NTI Map showing current use of parcels where NTI acquired or cleared land. Current uses could be: vacant, developed, development permits pulled, areas turned into community assets like parks/gardens, etc. Map showing building permits for properties near NTI cleared/cleaned/greened parcels. NOTE: These maps could be narrowed down to treat one or two of the 6 acquisition zones identified by NTI. How maps and reports will be used: PlanPhilly and Eyes on the Street will use the maps and data generated in this analysis to inform coverage created as part of our ongoing special series about vacant property, tax-delinquency and blight in Philadelphia. This analysis will help readers visualize the legacy of NTI - the city's most recent, ambitious effort to address blight - as Philadelphia debates new strategies for dealing with its vacant property. Additional comments: Note regarding non-profit status: PlanPhilly is a project of PennPraxis, which is a 501c-3. PlanPhilly is not a separate nonprofit. We are actively working to identify additional data sources for this project. 29 Public Health & Food Health Promotion Council of Southeastern PA (HPC) Identifying locations for the expansion of the Cultivating Community Campaign (CCC) food access initiative Website: http://www.hpcpa.org Mission: HPC’s mission is to promote health, and prevent and manage chronic diseases, especially among vulnerable populations, through community-based outreach, education, and advocacy. Spatial Analysis Project(s): HPC proposes to utilize the Summer of Maps Program to strategically identify geographic locations to expand the organization’s Cultivating Community Campaign (CCC). The CCC is a food access initiative within Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, that seeks to increase the supply of and access to fresh produce for low-income individuals and families in the Greater North Penn region of Montgomery County. Spatial analysis would include population data (specifically, income/poverty, density, and food access/insecurity data), food access points (including both nonprofit/food pantry and retail food locations), farm land, and current and prospective project partners. HPC, community partners and local funders will be able to utilize the analysis to strategically expand the network of fresh food access points for low-income individuals and families in the region, and more strategically link partners to maximize efficiency within the system. How project supports mission: The proposed project directly supports planning efforts for the CCC. Access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables is vital to good health and prevention of chronic disease – a core aspect of HPC’s mission. The proposed project will thereby support HPC’s mission by assisting the organization to strengthen the network of fresh food access points for low-income individuals and families in the region, and increase likelihood of fruit and vegetable consumption among vulnerable populations, thereby reducing risk for chronic disease. Data available: Public Health Management Corporation, Household Health Survey Database, specifically data related to quality of local groceries, access to transportation. US Census Population Data (particularly income data) Free/Reduced School Meal Eligibility (North Penn, Souderton Area, and Wissahickon School Districts) Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen locations (Montgomery County) Farmer’s Market locations (Montgomery County) Land use maps (from Montgomery County Planning Commission) CCC community and school garden sites CCC food distribution sites Location of prospective partners, i.e., farmers Describe maps and reports: The spatial analysis work would generate a map that identifies areas where intersections of low-income populations and food insecurity exists. The map will also identify prospective CCC partners (i.e., farmers, 30 organizations to start community garden sites, etc.) near these intersections of poverty and food insecurity. Spatial analysis would overlay this population data to identify current traditional points of food access serving low income populations (i.e., food pantries, soup kitchens), current underserved areas and potential opportunities for strengthening the network of food access points. How maps and reports will be used: Maps and analysis will be used for project planning purposes. Currently, HPC leads the CCC, which seeks to increase access to fresh, local produce for families and individuals in need within the Greater North Penn region of Montgomery County. The CCC seeks to increase the supply of and access to fresh produce for low-income individuals and families by creating or expanding small-scale edible gardens and by accessing farm fresh produce that will not be sold, and linking those fresh produce sources with organizations that maintain traditional (food pantries, soup kitchens) and non-traditional (back-pack programs, share tables, and congregate meals) food distribution mechanisms. The analysis and integration of data into easy-to-read maps and reports will support the CCC in its efforts to be more strategic and proactive in targeting partners in geographic locations with high levels of poverty and food insecurity, and limited access to fresh produce, in order to more efficiently provide fresh food access in areas with the greatest need. 31 Public Health Management Corporation Comparing the residential locations & neighborhood characteristics of young men who have sex with men in Philadelphia & Baltimore Website: http://www.phmc.org Mission: Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that builds healthier communities through partnerships with government, foundations, businesses and communitybased organizations. It fulfills its mission to improve the health of the community by providing outreach, health promotion, education, research, planning, technical assistance, and direct services. Spatial Analysis Project(s): The NIH-funded Get REAL project developed and evaluated an HIV prevention program for Black and White gay and bisexual young men ages 15 to 29. In order to evaluate the intervention, we collected longitudinal data from a sample of young men in Philadelphia, our intervention city, and Baltimore, our comparison city. We asked each participant for their street address. As an important part of our analysis, we need to compare the samples and control for any differences between the Philadelphia and Baltimore samples. Although we have not used GIS in the past, we would like to use census data and GIS analysis to characterize and compare the neighborhoods where our study participants live. How project supports mission: The project will support PHMC's mission of building healthier communities by assisting with the evaluation of an innovative HIV prevention intervention. In addition, the analysis will help us adjust and refine our program recruitment strategies to make sure we are reaching all underserved populations. Data available: We have data from four annual interviews with our sample of 175 young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Philadelphia and 100 YMSM in Baltimore, each with a residential address. We also have data from 250 Philadelphia YSMS who were interviewed once as a supplemental sample. Our analysis will also use data from the census and vital statistics for census tract indicators such as mean family income, % below the poverty line, racial distribution and health indicators. Describe maps and reports: The GIS analysis will result in maps of the residence locations of participants in Philadelphia and Baltimore. In addition, census tract measures of socio-economic status and health status will be exported to be used in STATA analysis of evaluation effectiveness. In other words, we will use the GIS analysis to compare neighborhood characteristics for our two samples of participants, and control for any differences using multivariate analysis. How maps and reports will be used: The results of the analysis will be used in manuscripts describing the sample and outcomes of our evaluation project. In addition, this analysis will help us examine our recruitment strategies to see if we are reaching all the diverse neighborhoods in Philadelphia. 32 Additional comments: Having an intern this summer would be very timely, as we have just completed collecting and cleaning the dataset and are in the analysis phase. The student would have the experience of working with a team of researchers who have experience with public health research, but not much knowledge of GIS analysis. 33
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