| The
Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
The Baltimore
Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (known as BNIA or the Alliance) is an organization
consisting of diverse groups committed to promoting, supporting and helping people
make better decisions using accurate, reliable, and accessible data and indicators
to improve the quality of life in Baltimore City neighborhoods. This unique
Alliance builds on and coordinates the related work of citywide nonprofit organizations,
city and state government agencies, neighborhoods, foundations, businesses and
universities to support and strengthen the principle and practice of well informed
decision making for change toward strong neighborhoods, improved quality of life,
and a thriving city. Functions Groups
and individuals involved in the Alliance contribute their strengths to ensure
the following core functions are performed: - The Vital
Signs - 40 outcome indicators that "take the pulse"
of Baltimore neighborhoods by measuring progress toward a shared vision and desired
results for strong neighborhoods, good quality of life, and a thriving, vital
city over time. These Vital Signs were developed using a comprehensive
community driven process, and are tracked over time. A report is published annually
displaying the trends.
- Technical Assistance and Training Strategy
- training on accessing, understanding, and using data, indicators,
and the Vital Signs to enhance long-term neighborhood improvement is available by contacting BNIA-JFI staff. This
training concentrates on facilitating the use of the Vital Signs in a "results-based
approach to decision making" process.
- "One
Stop Shop" BNIA-JFI is the first place to go for accessing the Vital Signs and other data about Baltimore and its neighborhoods
from a variety of sources in a user-friendly way. Staff can assist users
with using the BNIA-JFI website where numerous data and indicators are available,
as well as refer users to data sources if necessary. Access Points throughout
the city are established in order to provide greater access to our on-line resources for those who need assistance or do not have internet access.
These Access Points currently include the public branch libraries, community centers,
and some job training centers.
The
work of the Alliance enables you to:
Better understand and access the important neighborhood data and indicators thereby allowing you to make better-informed,
strategic decisions for:
- Enhancing local community organizing
strategies;
- Developing effective neighborhood plans;
- Informed
policy decisions;
- Targeting resource investment;
- Setting
goals in neighborhoods and citywide;
- Designating indicators to
measure progress toward success.
History
of the Alliance The Alliance was born in 2000 after
a two-year planning process where several citywide nonprofit organizations,
city government agencies, neighborhoods, and foundations were gathered together
by the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Since
that time, the Alliance has grown to include many more groups and individuals,
and more each day have come to consider themselves part of this growing Alliance
- this movement toward well-informed decision making for change.
The
Alliance designed its core functions based on the knowledge that Baltimore
needed a common way of understanding how our neighborhoods and overall quality
of life are changing over time. Baltimore needed a common threshold from which
to have discussions about what is best for changing conditions. Baltimore needed
a mechanism to hold itself, and all others who work, live, play, and invest in
its neighborhoods, accountable for moving in the right direction. The Alliance
works to fulfill these needs. The
Alliance is a member of:
Community
Indicators Consortium
International
Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS)
Maryland
Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Maryland
State Geographic Information Committee (MSGIC)
National
Civic League
National
Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP)
Urban
and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) |
