Foundations for Community Health Data Users

We are often called upon to use various kinds of data in community change work for different circumstances—to assess community conditions, monitor trends, prioritize areas for investment, and more. Today, accessing data is easier than ever, with a world of data just a few clicks away. But, there are still common challenges to using data to inform your work: identifying what data are most relevant, accessing high-quality data, data analysis and interpretation, and summarizing and sharing data and results to drive community change.

With over a decade of experience working with communities and community data, IP3 (stewards of Community Commons) helps organizations and communities use data to power change-making work through resources available on Community Commons, technology integration, and strategic consulting. This includes supporting groups to identify data measures that are most relevant to their work and access data describing their community (often through IP3 ASSESS).

We’ve pulled together this collection of foundational content to support changemakers exploring and using data to advance equitable well-being. Whether you’re new to community health, or have years of experience and just need a little refresher, this collection is meant to support changemakers using various kinds of data. If there’s a concept you’d like us to tackle and add to this collection, please let us know!