The New River Valley Regional Commission announces the launch of the NRV Data Dashboard. The NRV Data Dashboard is an interactive data tool that will change the way local governments, grant writers, non-profit organizations, and New River Valley citizens access data. This dashboard makes regional demographic, economic, transportation, education, and community health data not only more accessible but also easier to interpret. The dashboard is available at www.nrvrc.org/datadashboard, and will serve as the central location for regional data and will be maintained by the Regional Commission.
Since 1969 the Commission has provided data to the region in the form of the Regional Data Book. The original data book was made available in print form and most recently as an electronic PDF document. The New River Valley Regional Data Dashboard incorporates numerous data points in an intuitive and interactive interface using Tableau, ARC GIS online, and other technologies. “We see this as a resource that will help community leaders make informed decisions on a variety of topics,” – Kevin Byrd, Executive Director NRVRC.
The Commission partnered with the Community Foundation of the New River Valley to develop a Livability Initiative Data Dashboard that will include data specific to the indicators from the initiative. "The Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) is excited about the Data Dashboard. It allows us to gather pertinent data on the impact of our grants and programs over time, and it will be an incredibly valuable tool for the many nonprofits we support,” – Jessica Wirgau, Executive Director CFNRV. Lee Spiegel with Pulaski Grow sees the value of data in leading a non-profit, "As the founder and director of a local non-profit, I eagerly awaited the information and data gathered through the NRV Livability Initiative. This data allows our programming to meet the needs of the community and guides us as we seek to make a positive change in the future of area youth," – Lee Spiegel, Pulaski Grow.
To find out more on the Data Dashboard, the public is welcome to attend the Third Thursday event, hosted by the Community Foundation, August 18th, 2016, 7:30am-9:00am at Lucie Monroe’s in Christiansburg. For more information, please visit https://www.cfnrv.org/events/third-thursday-society/.