Smart Giving
Fall 2011
a publication of the central new york community foundation
Data We Can Use: The Launch of CNYVitals in this issue
The Leadership Classroom Advances page 3
Preserving Donor Wishes Through Legacy Giving page 5
The Central New York Community Indicators project has gone digital by releasing its findings on a new website – www.CNYVitals.org. The website provides information on the trends and issues facing area residents to generate discussion, inform planning and celebrate successes. This was made possible through a collaborative effort between Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, FOCUS Greater Syracuse, the Community Foundation, city and county municipalities and a host of community-based organizations that have signed on to help gather and analyze the data. cnyvitals.org So what is the Community Indicators Report? Essentially, it is a snapshot of Central New York including data on the region’s current state of affairs within various interest areas. The resulting report includes information on many topics that affect the quality of life in Central New York and will be used to identify trends and opportunities for planning, grant writing and future support.
$889,922 in Community Grants Are Awarded page 6
Until now, this report was only available as a static paper document. CNYVitals.org aims to change that through a dynamic website that encourages its visitors to both contribute data and make use of it.
data topics • Arts, Culture & Recreation • Civic Engagement • Demographics • Economy • Education • Environment, Transportation & Planning • Housing • Human Services & Health • Public Safety • Technology
The architects of the CNYVitals website hope that making this information available to the general public will inspire collaborative discussion and action to address the community’s most pressing needs. Experts and community members can contribute data to the project and use the data to collaborate and set project goals, plan interventions and inspire programs that best address the unique needs of the community. Child Care Solutions Tackles Aggression page 11
We, along with our partners, hope that the website helps area leaders and organizations make smart investments – focusing funding and programming on projects and initiatives that make the most sense and have the greatest positive impact in our region. We encourage everyone to visit the site to learn more about Central New York’s opportunities and challenges.