Q: How do you use community indicators at Inland Northwest Community Foundation?
A: I don’t see indicators as a series of numbers, but to me every indicator is a measure of human successes, endeavors, and frailties. If you look at indicators in that context, you begin to see a snapshot of various conditions in out community – not based on data but on the human condition. I also see indicators as an opportunity to determine what we’re doing well, and what, potentially, we need to improve upon. At the Community Foundation, we’re utilizing the information to look at trends.  What are the issues, and concerns, where are the gaps?  These are questions indicators can answer.

Q: What can indicators do for a community?
A: They can give visibility to the challenges we face as a community. They also give us a valuable tool to enter into dialogue with diverse constituencies throughout the region. From that dialogue we can prioritize community issues, values, and goals. We can be focused about where we want to go as a community.

Q: In your view, what are the top two issues that need attention in Spokane?
A: What’s paramount are healthy family issues. That’s a pretty broad topic, but when you look at all the indicators you begin to visualize the underbelly of the our family issues. Early learning, high school graduation, nutrition, single parenting, and safe homes are healthy family issues. Where are we on readiness to learn?  What about high school graduation? Our high school graduation rate has to be improved and young people need to understand that a high school degree is a tremendous accomplishment. It’s also a piece of paper that can take you to the university, to long-term employment, and to financial independence. Preventing teen pregnancy is another healthy family issue. How can we equip young people with the understanding that they can control the destiny of their lives? Safe homes is another one – we no longer have a society where moms are home at 3:00 p.m. How, as a community, do we create an environment where kids have safe places to go after school? All of these healthy family issues are tied to economic vitality. If these issues are improved upon, it greatly enhances our chances of long-term economic viability.

Q: How well are Community Indicators are catching on in Spokane?
A: We have such phenomenal educational institutions in this region – not to mention the health care, government, business, finance, and non-profit sectors. But when you look at the diversity and breadth of education institutions, you see how fortunate we are. To have Eastern Washington University step forward as an applied research university and partner with the community on this initiative is commendable. It’s a proactive step that changes people’s lives and it’s a privilege for us to be associated with that goal. President Arévalo and Doctor Jones should be commended for integrating this initiative into the community.

Q: Any other thoughts on community indicators?
A: Indicators are valuable for shaping our future. They also help us identify best practices.

As a community foundation, we can use indicators to highlight community needs, and help guide nonprofits to embrace those needs, using indicators that apply specifically to their work. So they’re not working at it alone, but together we’re pushing the needle in a positive direction. Together we can ask: what are measures of success?

From this effort we’ll find a common purpose that will bring people together. There we can accomplish more than if we try to do it alone. Indicators has been a catalyst to start those dialogues.