How to Use this website - A Walking Tour

Overview

Features on this website.

What your neighbors are saying about the Alliance and its work

Overview

This website is one of the many avenues by which the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance provides to access to the Vital Signs, other data and data sources, and more information about the training the Alliance offers.

Contact the Alliance staff directly for any questions, schedule training, or assistance on finding the data items you need if you cannot find them here.

The Alliance works to foster well-informed decision making for long term neighborhood change.

Through this website, you can:

Access the Vital Signs, learn more information about them, their importance to Baltimore, and download Vital Signs 3 ! The Alliance will continue to track the Vital Signs trends for years to come, and offers training assistance on using the Vital Signs in a " results-based approach to decision-making" process to measure progress toward and understand impact on strong neighborhoods,

Access training on understanding and using data and indicators strategically and effectively. Participants come away with an excellent understanding of what data and indicators are, how to interpret what data show, and how to use data, indicators and the Vital Signs effectively using a "results based approach to decision making" process. This helps to make well informed decisions about goals and priorities, strategic policy changes, community building and organizing activities, and planning toward long-term neighborhood improvement. Training is provided through workshops integrated into the work of our capacity building partners, by request, and through special programs in which the Alliance is involved.

Access the Vital Signs and other data about Baltimore and its neighborhoods. The "One Stop Shop" for neighborhood data is available on this website and in the Alliance office. Alliance staff brings together the resources of several data providers and places them in a neighborhood context. Data are provided directly by the Alliance staff, or staff will refer users to other data providers. The Vital Signs and other statistical data are available on this website in tabular form or on the interactive mapping system. The Alliance and those involved in the Alliance use the latest in GIS mapping technology.

[Back to Top]

Features on this Website

The About BNIA section tells you more about the Alliance, the organizations involved, the history of the Alliance, details about the dynamic staff, and the organizations of which we are members.

The Indicators section features details on the Vital Signs. These outcome-based indicators measure progress toward a collectively established vision for strong neighborhoods, good quality of life, and a thriving city over time.

You can access more background on the Vital Signs, the history of how they were developed and who was involved, detailed explanations about each Vital Sign, download Vital Signs 3 by Community Statistical Area, census tract, and Community Statistical Area profiles, and view the list of Co-Sponsors and endorsements. This section links you to the interactive mapping system and to details about the training on using the Vital Signs for change.

The Training section contains details on the Alliance's Technical Assistance and Training Strategy that implements a one-of-a-kind curriculum to train neighborhood groups and groups that work with them on accessing, understanding, and using data and indicators, and the Vital Signs, strategically for improving neighborhood conditions.

Part of the curriculum includes assistance in designating indicators to understand impact, and uses the Vital Signs and a "results-based approach to decision making" process to do this work.

The Mapping section features a user-friendly interactive mapping system where the Vital Signs are displayed on maps.

This interactive mapping technology enables users to select the data in which they are interested, and produces a map of the city or neighborhood area with the data items selected. Our data inventory is also here.

Demographic profiles, citywide information, and more using the U.S. Census data are available on the U.S. Census 2000 data page. Maps of the Vital Signs that could not be displayed in the interactive mapping system are on the Other Maps page.

The Neighborhood Resources section contains the list of the neighborhood associations that work in each Community Statistical Area. Each group works hard everyday to improve their neighborhoods. The section also contains links to other initiatives and resources in Baltimore that can help neighborhood groups take action to improve their community.

[Back to Top]

What Your Neighbors are saying about the Alliance and its work

Several examples exist as tangible evidence that the integration and use of the Vital Signs in Baltimore life is a reality:

"…I did want to let you know that I got a lot of positive feedback from the meeting you presented- Every one enjoyed it, and I think that you got everyone in the right "mind-set," to plan and implement SNAP…"

Edie Schuman
Chairperson, Southeastern Neighborhoods Development - SNAP Group

"A million thanks for the Vital Signs. Here in Ridgely's Delight we're in the midst of a strategic planning process, and the Vital Signs will prove invaluable at our visioning retreat and in our final product."

Blaine Nelson
President, Ridgely's Delight Association

"…The Friends of Riverside Park (FORP), a subcommittee of the Riverside Action Group (RAG), is using the "results based approach to decision making" process for a few things - we are considering becoming our own organization - and in order to attract residents of SBIC and residents of RAG…"

Shannon Sullivan,
Resident, Riverside Park

"…I have shared the publication "Vital Signs for Baltimore Neighborhoods," with other groups, including Citizens for Community Improvement, Neighborhood Housing Services, Alliance of Rosemont Community Organization, Rosemont Neighborhood Improvement Association and the third grade class that I work in at Belmont Elementary School. Association leaders are eager to receive copies in order to use this assembled information in their efforts to improve their neighborhoods. Some may have already requested copies from your office…"

Mary M. Rosemond
Chairman Sanitation/Beautification Committee
Rosemont Neighborhood Improvement Association, Inc.

"…Congratulations on the Vital Signs. They are a wealth of information that will positively impact our planning ability. A true "work of art." Kudos to you and your staff."

Ruth Ann Norton
Executive Director
Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning

"We are grateful for sending us a copy of Vital Signs. It's a fine report and we find it quite helpful in better understanding "What is going on,"…Most of us are not computer wizards so your report gave us vital information."

Brendan Walsh
Director
Viva House, Baltimore Catholic Worker

"…I am delighted to write and lend my support to the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance Vital Signs. The Vital Signs will become an important tool to help us measure progress towards outcomes for Baltimore City Neighborhoods over time…. I look forward to seeing the Project flourish in the coming years and provide fruitful information to help us continue to improve neighborhoods city-wide."

Mayor Martin O'Malley
Baltimore City, Maryland

"A question about the indicators. We understand the use of outcome indicators, for example in Sanitation. Incidents of illegal dumping per 1,000 population - a decrease indicates a cleaner community. Here, some folks feel we want to say an increase in reports for the most part because community does not report. So an initial increase would mean neighbors being more responsive. I guess it might be a matter of process indicator vs outcome indicator."

Chartruse (Trudy) Robinson
Reservoir Hill Improvement Council

"I liked the Vital Signs workshop, we can use this for our planning efforts around our programs for kids. We really needed more time on it so please have the Alliance back!"

Attendee to a recent Maryland Center for Community Development training

"The Knott Foundation supports local agencies desiring to improve their decision-making based on the outcome indicators provided by the Alliance. Because of this, we encourage those applying for Knott Foundation funding, whenever possible, to include the Vital Signs in their proposals and ultimately into their work. It is not as hard as you might think, and by thinking within the Vital Signs "results based approach to decision making" framework, you may actually come to a better understanding of how to better advance your organization's mission."

Greg Cantori
Executive Director
Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Foundation