The idea for a local data resource was incubated by four partners that continue to support our efforts: Youth Matters, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute. Dr. Kevin Allison and Linda Birtley oversaw the development and implementation of this data resource.
Our kick-off "Data Day" was held on November 19, 2002 to demonstrate local data capacity and to obtain nonprofit community stakeholders' opinions on data and information needs. In 2003 and 2004, DataShare Metro Richmond, as a community collaborative, engaged in a strategic planning process led by our Steering Committee. Our Richmond Area Data Access Resource (RADAR) work teams, composed of individuals from 14 organizations, studied and made recommendations about the systems, structure, content, and outreach activities for this web-based resource.
Members of the Steering Committee and RADAR toured "best cities" to gather ideas. Three National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership sites were visited: the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, The Reinvestment Fund (Philadelphia), and DC Agenda (now with Neighborhood Info in Washington, D.C.). Also visited was Philadelphia Safe and Sound, an Urban Health Initiative site.
Local pilot projects, funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Jessie Ball du Pont Fund, were conducted to gain experience in data sharing agreements, data access, use, and analysis issues, and partnerships. See our pilot project products on our Papers and Reports.
All of this work led to the development of a prototype of the DataShare website. Local reviewers gave feedback that we used to produce this resource.
We were privileged to receive the continuous support of the leadership of Youth Matters staff, especially Lisa Specter, Veronica Templeton, Joan Marable, Carol Obrachta, and Lynn McCashin. A special thank you to Elizabeth Roark of Embark Technologies and James M. Burke, Ph.D. of the VCU Office of Public Policy Training, for their planning and facilitation expertise in working with our Steering Committee and RADAR. We appreciate Karen Wilson's support of the Steering and RADAR Committees. Many, many kudos to Chris Gist for the prototype, and VCU Urban and Regional Planning students, especially Lallen Johnson and Michael Kolonay for their recent data and web development work, and Dr. Michela Zonta's classes for compiling the underlying Richmond City data. Finally, much gratitude to Dr. Michela Zonta and Dr. Ivan Suen for their guidance in these efforts.
Our Steering Committee's efforts were borne by dedicated individuals from the following agencies and organizations:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond
- Central Virginia Health Planning Agency
- Chesterfield County Youth Planning and Development
- City of Richmond, Department of Information Technology
- Greater Richmond Chamber
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- Richmond Ambulance Authority
- Richmond Enhancing Access to Community Healthcare (REACH)
- United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg
- University of Richmond, Connect Richmond
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Center for Public Policy
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Nonprofit Enterprise Institute
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Survey & Evaluation Research Laboratory
- Virginia Department of Health, Chesterfield Health District
- Voices for Virginia's Children
- Youth Matters
Our RADAR teams were supported by committed individuals from the following organizations:
- Central Virginia Health Planning Agency
- Chesterfield Health District, Nursing
- Children's Hospital of Virginia
- City of Richmond, Department of Information Technology
- City of Richmond, Department of Social Services
- Community Tax Law Project
- East District Family Resource Center
- Housing Opportunities Made Equal
- John Randolph Foundation
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- Richmond Ambulance Authority
- Richmond Community Action Program, Inc.
- Richmond Memorial Health Foundation
- Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education
- United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg
- University of Richmond, Connect Richmond
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Nonprofit Enterprise Institute
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Survey & Evaluation Research Laboratory
- Virginia Department of Health, Health Promotion for People with Disabilities
- Virginia Department of Health, Chesterfield Health District
- Virginia Housing Development Authority
- Voices for Virginia's Children
- YWCA of Richmond, Virginia