NNIP has developed guides, handbooks, and other materials to help other advance their skills and capacities. When possible, these documents are provided in PDF format. More documents will be added in the future.

BUILDING AND OPERATING DATA SYSTEMS. Guidance on developing capacities to construct and use neighborhood indicator systems, covering both technical and institutional aspects.

Building and Operating Neighborhood Indicators Systems: A Guidebook. (410 KB) Comprehensive guidebook providing an introduction to basic indicators concepts, explaining who the local NNIP partners are, and suggesting approaches and techniques for building and operating successful local neighborhood indicators systems based on partners' experiences.

BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO USE INFORMATION. Tools for organizations that help community residents learn to use information effectively.

Building Community Capacity to Use Information: A Framework. (47 KB) Paper by Terri J. Bailey discussing work to be done in four areas: (1) assessing community capacity to use information; (2) strengthening the social and technological communications networks available in a community; (3) training and other means of building skills to use information for community change; and (4) providing technical assistance in support of community use of information.

BUILDING INDICATORS OF NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH AND CHANGE. Information on the development of indicators and the data sources from which they can be derived.

Catalog of Administrative Data Sources. (188 KB) Sources and types of data from administrative agencies that can be used to produce useful local indicators. This catalog, developed by Claudia J. Coulton, with Lisa Nelson and Peter Tatian, is a chapter in Mapping Your Community: Using Geographic Information to Strengthen Community Initiatives. It provides a description of 42 different administrative data sources typically available in most cities. Sources are grouped into eight categories: economy, education, health, social services, safety and security, community resources and involvement, housing and physical development, and the environment.

Vital Records: A Source for Neighborhood Indicators. (44 KB) The first in a series of brief guides showing how a range of indicators can be developed from specific data sources identified in the catalog and offering advice on their use. This one, written by Claudia J. Coulton, covers indicators that can be derived from records on local births and deaths.

Public Assistance Records: A Source for Neighborhood Indicators. (40 KB) This second guide, also written by Claudia J. Coulton, covers indicators that can be derived from records on public assistance.