PRESS RELEASE
DataHaven wins federal innovation prize for empowering residents with data
National award recognizes DataHaven’s innovative new town-by-town map of well-being and environmental conditions
NEW HAVEN, Conn., September 26, 2024— DataHaven, a non-profit organization that has provided communities with information to advance equity and well-being across Connecticut neighborhoods for thirty years, continues to show how organizations can drive social change through data and technological innovation. On September 26, DataHaven was awarded a $72,500 prize from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge.
This national award recognizes DataHaven’s efforts to make data accessible for all 169 towns in Connecticut, through public outreach and tools such as its Connecticut Town Equity Reports and Connecticut Town Data Viewer.
More specifically, the award also acknowledges the organization’s work to develop and test a set of multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) models and local estimates based on the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey (DCWS), a statewide survey that has completed live interviews with over 50,000 randomly-selected adults in every Connecticut town. These models create more detailed and accurate data about Connecticut towns. Communities can use the model’s data to engage residents and make better decisions about local needs, such as access to public park systems, housing, youth programs, health care, and affordable fresh produce. DataHaven’s data reveals specific health and environmental disparities that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, thereby informing effective policy and systems changes aimed at improving health equity.
Many of DataHaven’s latest town-by-town estimates are included in its Connecticut Town Data Viewer, which was recently made available on the DataHaven website at ctdatahaven.org/data-dashboard. Granular data about demographic groups within each town and region, as well as about specific neighborhoods within the largest cities, are found in DataHaven’s other reports or available on request.
“We believe that access to these new datasets, which reflect quality of life and economic issues that are of greatest importance to Connecticut residents, can help residents shape the success of their community now and in the future,” said Mark Abraham, Executive Director of DataHaven. “Furthermore, the models developed by DataHaven do not just benefit Connecticut, but can also be applied to other state and national surveys, enabling estimation of community-level measures that were previously not possible. We are honored to have received this prize from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”
DataHaven’s day-to-day activities, including its new data viewer as well as its approaches to survey data collection, are informed by a volunteer Advisory Council of over 300 residents and agency leaders from across the state. The Advisory Council members suggest improvements, highlight key topics for DataHaven to include, and conduct user testing. During the next year, DataHaven plans to use the innovation prize funding to expand its Advisory Council and develop new user-friendly approaches to sharing data about different communities. Results from DataHaven’s latest statewide survey will be released later this fall.
Advisory Council members commented on DataHaven’s receipt of the national prize:
“Our congratulations to DataHaven on this well-deserved honor,” said Matt Hart, the Executive Director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) in Hartford, Connecticut. The DataHaven Connecticut Town Data Viewer provides access to a vast range of economic, demographic, and well-being topics and indicators. The user can easily summarize this data by state, municipal, and COG level geographies, in both map and tabular form. This dynamic tool will help regional and municipal staff to quickly visualize, compare, and contrast various socioeconomic and quality of life datasets at a statewide, regional, and municipal level. We look forward to using the Data Viewer at CRCOG as part of our regional planning studies and projects.”
“Understanding the full picture of health and well-being in Connecticut requires digging deeper into the data and asking questions to see how people in every community are really doing. DataHaven’s Connecticut Town Data Viewer makes this possible in a user-friendly way, and we hope many people will use it this information to explore the strengths and challenges that exist in communities across the state,” said Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. “While Connecticut as a whole is a healthy state, more granular data shows us that not everyone has the same opportunities to live their healthiest lives. Tools like this help show us where there are gaps and can help shape our policy choices to make Connecticut more equitable.”
“This tool serves as a powerful resource, giving a clear snapshot of public sentiment at a glance. The data shared is more than just numbers—it's a window into the community's perceptions of the built environment and local governance. By understanding these trends, you're better equipped to shape a future that truly reflects the needs and desires of those you serve,” said Rick Dunne, Executive Director of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments in Waterbury, Connecticut.
The HHS Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge is a nationwide contest to support disadvantaged communities and Tribes facing the brunt of environmental injustices, including health harms due to climate change. This Challenge aims to uplift community-level solutions to address health inequities with prizes totaling $1,000,000 that were awarded in two phases in 2024.
About DataHaven
DataHaven’s mission is to empower people to create thriving communities by collecting and ensuring access to data on well-being, equity, and quality of life. The organization has served Connecticut as a nonprofit organization since 1992, working with many partners to make information more useful to local communities.
Contact
Mark Abraham, Executive Director, 203.500.7059, info at ctdatahaven.org
