CI:Now wins Kronkosky Charitable Foundation grant

CI:Now was awarded a one-year $50,000 operating grant from the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation to support child data integration and community engagement around child data and information. Kronkosky was a founding member of CI:Now when it was organized as the Alamo Area Community Information System (AACIS) in the late 1990s, and the Foundation continues to recognize the power of shared data for improving community conditions.

In addition to staff time, the grant will support development and refinement of the CommunityView and FactTalk tools. CommunityView is a data linkage solution that uses data without moving data, integrating place-based public datasets like the Census and Texas hospital discharges with person-based datasets like administrative databases and surveys. A web-based query system will enable any user with internet access and a browser to query across available datasets and download aggregate results, and a highly-secure record viewer - available for now only to the Eastside Promise Neighborhood's Student Support Team - will display person-level and "caseload" or "panel"-level early warning indicators and historical information. CommunityView is scheduled to launch in late August with place-based data and record-level San Antonio ISD student data.

FactTalk will uses Drupal's Organic Groups module to enable users to create and administer groups around specific issue areas like grade-level reading, diabetes, or public transit. The platform will integrate data, news, and conversation to facilitate grassroots planning and action.