NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 17, 2012 — Today, PolicyMap and Citi Community Development launched My District Data, an interactive, web-based tool that offers a simple yet powerful way to examine the state of every Congressional district in the country through a series of on-demand reports based on economic, employment, financial, educational and housing conditions. Developed for legislators and their advisers, as well as community organizations and local residents, the free tool aggregates a range of granular data -- for the first time broken down to match the irregular borders of Congressional districts -- to present a district snapshot intended to inform smart policy-making.
My District Data aggregates data from 10 sources in one easy-to-use platform that presents a clear and consistent state-of-the-district analysis, and users can compare district-level statistics against state and national benchmarks. Each of the reports can be downloaded as a printable PDF, and all information is free, public, and available for dissemination. The inaugural My District Data report focuses on workforce and jobs and offers district-level information on labor force and employment, workforce demographics, business climate, and educational environment.
“With the 2012 election season dominating the national discussion, this first report provides timely information for those seeking to understand and influence the current policy landscape,” said Cy Richardson, Vice President of Housing and Community Development at the National Urban League. “For organizations like ours, tools like My District Data promote transparency, identify areas where action is required and help users build data-driven solutions, all of which drive greater participation in policy development.”
“My District Data produces consistent reports based on publicly available statistics that generate a clear understanding in a matter of seconds,” said Maggie McCullough, President of PolicyMap. “Building a clear understanding of a state’s jobs situation is relatively straightforward, as much of this data is often collected and presented at the state level. However, state-level data can mask significant variation between congressional districts.”
In Florida, for example, the statewide unemployment rate is 9 percent, compared with a 7.8 percent national rate. However, unemployment rates at congressional districts within Florida range from 7.5 percent to 15.3 percent. To capture this kind of granularity, policy practitioners have traditionally had to manually cull data from a range of sources and overlapping geographies to produce a picture of their Congressional districts – a time-consuming and challenging task.
“My District Data will complement the important data analysis work of efforts like the CFED Assets & Opportunity Scorecard as well as the FDIC Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households and recent U.S. Census report on income and poverty – adding value by pinpointing similarities and disparities at the Congressional district level for the first time,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Community Development and Microfinance. “By making critical data accessible and actionable, this tool will strengthen the connection between the national agenda and the local issues that drive it.”
About The Reinvestment Fund and PolicyMap
PolicyMap ( www.policymap.com) is a service of The Reinvestment Fund, a nonprofit leader in financing neighborhood revitalization. A fully web-based interactive map tool ( http://www.policymap.com/online-mapping-tools/index.html), PolicyMap empowers decision makers with better access to credible market and demographic data in an easy-to-use geographic information system.
About Citi Community Development
Citi Community Development (CCD) is leading Citi’s commitment to achieve economic empowerment and growth for underserved individuals, families and communities by expanding access to financial products and services, and building sustainable business solutions and innovative partnerships. Our focus areas include: commercial and philanthropic funding; innovative financial products and services; and collaborations with institutions that expand access to financial products and services for low-income and underserved communities. For more information, visit www.citicommunitydevelopment.com.
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