Assessing Community Needs and Resources

Accessibility of material, Qualitative Data Collection, Community-Engaged Methods

by Community Tool Box

Target Skill Level: Multiple Levels
Audience: Community-based organizations

Read the Community Tool Box's Community Assessment Toolkit, Chapter 3: Assessing Community Needs and Resources. These trainings cover a breadth of topics in related to identifying and assessing community concerns, needs, and assets. Contents of this chapter include resources on:

  • Section 1. Developing a Plan for Assessing Local Needs and Resources
  • Section 2. Understanding and Describing the Community
  • Section 3. Conducting Public Forums and Listening Sessions
  • Section 4. Collecting Information About the Problem
  • Section 5. Analyzing Community Problems
  • Section 6. Conducting Focus Groups
  • Section 7. Conducting Needs Assessment Surveys
  • Section 8. Identifying Community Assets and Resources
  • Section 9. Developing Baseline Measures
  • Section 10. Conducting Concerns Surveys
  • Section 11. Determining Service Utilization
  • Section 12. Conducting Interviews
  • Section 13. Conducting Surveys
  • Section 14. SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
  • Section 15. Qualitative Methods to Assess Community Issues
  • Section 16. Geographic Information Systems: Tools for Community Mapping
  • Section 17. Leading a Community Dialogue on Building a Healthy Community
  • Section 18. Creating and Using Community Report Cards
  • Section 19. Using Public Records and Archival Data
  • Section 20. Implementing Photovoice in Your Community
  • Section 21. Windshield and Walking Surveys
  • Section 22. Using Small Area Analysis to Uncover Disparities
  • Section 23. Developing and Using Criteria and Processes to Set Priorities
  • Section 24. Arranging Assessments That Span Jurisdictions
Course Categories: Qualitative Data Collection