We Got a Map for That FAQs Elizabeth Delaney

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We Got a Map for That!
Navigating Community Profiles
Question: What are the Community Profiles?
Answer: Community Profiles are data reports for Counties, Cities, Townships, Wards, and Neighborhoods in
West Michigan. They provide a snapshot look at a geography. These give an overview (demographics, education,
crime, etc.) of the location as well as a comparison to other geographies. The purpose of the Community Profiles
is to provide accessible national and local data in an effort to assist regional nonprofit, education, and
governmental leaders with decision making, grant writing, and program evaluation.
Question: How do I access the Community Profiles?
Answer: You can access the Community Profiles from our website. Go to the Community Research Institute
homepage (www.cridata.org) and click on the Community Profiles tab.
Question: How are the Community Profiles organized?
Answer: All of the Community Profiles are organized first by geography, then by topical categories which are
listed in a pull-down menu across the top of each profile. The categories include: Demographics, Economics and
Education, Housing, Birth Statistics, Crime and Safety, and Civic Engagement. Each of these categories includes
additional data indicators. For example, the category of Demographics includes the following indicators:
Population, Race, Gender, and Age.
Question: How old is the data and where did it come from?
Answer: All data sources are dated and footnoted after each indicator, and referenced in the notes section at
the bottom of each page.
Question: What is the difference between value, average, lowest, and highest?
Answer: The value is the actual number or percent of the population representing the indicator measure for the
geographic profile. Average, lowest, and highest are calculated by comparing the same indicator across
geographies. The bar of the far right is another war to visualize the actual, average, high, and low value of the
indicator across geographies.
Question: what does the map icon do?
Answer: This visually maps the indicator through our mapping system, MAPAS.
Question: Can I add or remove indicators?
Answer: Yes. Click the Build Report icon across the top of the profile. You can add indicators by selecting a
Category from the pull-down menu and then selecting the indicators you want to add to your report and using
the arrow to move them into the box labeled “Your Report.” You can remove indicators by selecting the
indicators under Your Report and using the arrow to move them into the other box.

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Question: Can I compare data across geographies or over time?
Answer: Yes. The following link can give you a step by step guide on how and when to use the Trend and
Compare tools located under the map on the left side of the profile: http://www.cridata.org/tools.aspx .
Which tool should I use?
Use Tool
To view multiple geography values across time Trend
To view data across all years available Trend
To compare one geography against another Compare
To compare multiple indicator values Compare
Question: Can I see data in different formats? Can I export and/or print?
Answer: Yes. One of the most valuable features of our Community Information Tools is that the tools and data
are interactive. There are multiple ways to view, organize and export your “customized” data set. For example,
when you click on the “map” link next to an individual indicator, the data will be mapped in our Geographic
Information Systems mapping software. The Compare and Trend Tools provide icons under the menu at the top
of the screen, which allow you to display data in different visual formats. In addition, the platform allows you to
export the data in excel and PDF formats.
Community Profiles Exercise:
Review the profile of Baxter neighborhood and answer the following questions: (Build a report)
o In 2010, what percentage of the population had a Bachelors as highest degree?
o In 2006, what was the teen birth rate?
o In 2009, what was the total violent crimes?
o What neighborhood had the highest number of vacant units in 2010, Baxter or East Hills? (compare)
o What neighborhood had the highest number of vacant units in 1990, Baxter or East Hills? (compare)
o Is the violent crime rate trending up or down for Baxter? (trend)

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We Got a Map for That!
Navigating MAPAS 2.0
Question: What is MAPAS?
Answer: An interactive mapping system to find data for customized geographies. In MAPAS, you can:
Build thematic (color coded) maps around topics of interest
Visualize and identify spatial data patterns across multiple geographies
Display the locations of nonprofit groups and other service providers to evaluate existing (or lack of)
services within or near a user-defined area of interest or service area
Create customized geographies, dynamic reports for pre-defined geographies.
Question: How can I access MAPAS?
Answer: You can access MAPAS from our website. Go to the Community Research Institute homepage
(www.cridata.org) and click on the MAPAS icon. You can also go to: http://open.cridata.org/maps/mapas/
Question: How is MAPAS organized?
Answer: In MAPAS, you can Select a Geography (pre-defined neighborhoods, cities, counties, etc.), Enter a
Location (specific address), or draw a Customized Geography (you choose the boundaries of your geography of
interest). You can then select topical categories which are listed in a pull-down menu on the right side of the
page. The categories include: Demographics, Economics and Education, Housing, Birth Statistics, Crime and
Safety, and Civic Engagement. Each of these categories includes additional data indicators. For example, the
category of Demographics includes the following indicators: Population, Race, Gender, and Age. There is also a
Points and Layers Box on the right side of the page which allows you to map the locations of charter schools,
public schools, congregations, food pantries, and vita site locations, as well as select whether you want to
outline and label additional points of interest, such as streets, parks and water, Census tracts, etc.).
Question: How old is the data and where did it come from?
Answer: All data sources are noted and dated in the bottom right of the page.

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MAPAS Exercises
Scenario 1: Use Mapping to Focus Volunteer Efforts
You are: A Volunteer Coordinator
 You live in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Grand Rapids. You are collecting funds door-to-door for the
Neighborhood Association and have limited volunteer resources. You want to find out which part of the
neighborhood has a higher median household income because you want your volunteers to target that
section most heavily.
1. Use the “SELECT A GEOGRAPHY” dropdown to zoom into the Grand Rapids neighborhood of Garfield
Park. (Notice that the neighborhood boundaries are blue)
2. Select Topic: Employment and Income
Select Indicator: Median Income
Q : What section of the neighborhood has a higher median household income, the northwest or the
southeast?
Scenario 2: Find the Closest Food Pantry in Proximity to a Citizen in Need.
You are: A food pantry volunteer
 You get a call from a citizen looking for a food pantry close to their home. The caller informs you that they
currently live at 1050 Fountain St. NE, 49503.
1. Type the Address into the ENTER A LOCATION box.
2. Turn on the Food Pantries layer in the Points and Layers box.
Q : What are the two closest pantry locations to the caller’s home address?
 The caller informs you that they do not own a car and need a pantry that is within a walkable distance. You
know that a walkable distance is approximately .25 miles each way.
1. Use the Draw a Radius tool to make a .25 mile buffer around the callers address.
2. Click “List Displayed Points Within Radius.”
Q : Is there a pantry location that is a walkable distance from the caller’s home address?
You want to save your work so you can review or edit it later. Create MAPAS account!
3. Save Radius.
4. Save Location.

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Scenario 3: Find Voting Information for a Grand Rapids Neighborhood
You are: A staff member at a foundation
 The foundation you work for is funding a project aimed at impacting civic engagement in the Garfield Park
Neighborhood in Grand Rapids. You have been asked to collect information on current voting trends in that
neighborhood.
1. Type Garfield Park into the ENTER A LOCATION box and hit enter on your keyboard.
2. Click the Report link in the pop-up window
Q : How many registered voters were located in the Garfield Park area in 2008?
Q : What percent of those registered voters voted in the 2008 election?
3. Close the Report
 Next, you want to map the voter turnout patterns within the Garfield Park Neighborhood to visually see
voting patterns. This will allow you to target your efforts in areas with low voter turnout.
1. Select Topic: Voting
Select Indicator: Voter Turnout
Q : Where will you focus most of your efforts, the northwest or the southeast?

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Scenario 4: Find a Target Area that is Most in Need of a Proposed Service.
You are: a staff member at a foundation
 A recent pilot project encouraging mothers without a high school diploma to get their GED was very
successful. The foundation you work for is looking to fund a satellite project in the East Hills neighborhood.
You need to target the area within the neighborhood that is most is need of the service.
1. In the mapping tool, zoom to the East Hills neighborhood.
2. Select Topic: Vital Records
Select Indicator: Births to Mothers w/out High School Diploma.
3. If it is not already on, turn on the neighborhoods layer using the Points and Layers Menu located on the
right side of the screen.
4. On your map you will notice a high concentration of births to mothers without a high school diploma.
This will be your proposed target area.
 Next, you want to find statistics for the proposed target area.
1. Use the draw a custom geography tool to outline your target area.
2. When your drawing is finished, create a report to pull the statistics for that area.
Q : What is the percentage of births to mothers without a high school diploma in your target area?
Close the Report
You want to save the customized geography so you can review or edit your work later.
3. Save Custom Geo.
 Now you decide to look for resources in the area.
1. Click “Keep Geography” in the current popup Window.
2. Use the Points and Layers Tool. Click Public Schools.
3. Click “List Displayed Points.”
Q : Is there a public school located near your area? What is the name of the school?
 Now that you have chosen a site location you want to save your work so that you can come back later and
make edits if necessary.
1. Save Map.
2. PDF.

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 Bonus MAPAS Features!
Load multiple geographies into one map.
1. Log into MAPAS.
2. Go to My MAPAS.
3. Click Custom Geography on left hand side.
4. Mark selected geographies.
5. Click Load Multiple.
Load multiple addresses into one map.
1. Log into MAPAS.
2. Go to My MAPAS.
3. Click Locations on left hand side.
4. Mark selected locations.
5. Click Load Multiple.
For additional training and technical assistance in enhancing your knowledge and skills in accessing and using
community data:
Go to http://www.cridata.org/tutorials.aspx for resources on using community data.
Go to http://open.cridata.org/maps/mapas2beta/Tutorials.html for tutorials on our interactive mapping
software, MAPAS.
Contact Jeremy Pyne at pyneje@gvsu.edu with questions on accessing and using our Community
Information Tools.