THE NNIP CONCEPT In recent years all NNIP partners have built advanced information systems with integrated and recurrently updated information on neighborhood conditions in their cities. Creation of this capacity, which did not exist in any U.S. city a decade ago, represents an important technical and institutional breakthrough. To succeed, NNIP partners needed to overcome the resistance of local public agencies to sharing administrative data and, because of major cost reductions made possible through new information technologies, they have shown that such systems can be operated on an ongoing basis at a level that can be locally self-sustaining. Their indicators cover topics such as births, deaths, crime, health status, educational performance, public assistance, and property conditions.
The long-term plan for the partnership entails three types of activities being undertaken jointly by the Urban Institute and local NNIP partners: (1) Mounting a series of new cross-site action initiatives that use data to drive community change; (2) Continuing to improve tool building and dissemination practices that advance the field; and (3) Expanding direct technical assistance and training to help groups in new cities get started in building NNIP-type capacities. A somewhat more complete, but still accessible, review of the NNIP concept and the approaches of its partners can be found in "Neighborhood Indicators: Taking Advantage of the New Potential," by Tom Kingsley.  For additional information, e-mail NNIP at nnip@ui.urban.org. |
Perhaps more important is the way they have used their data. NNIP partners operate very differently from traditional planners and researchers. Their theme is democratizing information. They concentrate on facilitating the direct practical use of data by city and community leaders, rather than preparing independent research reports on their own. And all have adopted as a primary purpose using information to build the capacities of institutions and residents in distressed urban neighborhoods.