State Data Center holds trainings for local agencies on economic and emergency management data
In September, the State Data Center at UMass Donahue Institute held trainings in the western and eastern parts of the state to educate private and public organizations on available data tools. Specifically, these trainings focused on economic and emergency management data. Participants in the two training sessions included the Boston Redevelopment Authority's Research Division, Commonwealth Corporation, Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, local and college libraries, and policy research staff.
2012 Economic Census
Taken every five years, the Economic Census measures the American economy and business. As developing ingenuity and trends lead to new products and services they require new methods of tracking. Similarly, products and services no longer used are removed. The Economic Census is also producing data for smaller geographies, places with at least 2,500 population or jobs.
Emergency Management
“OnTheMap for Emergency Management” is a web-based tool that emergency management agencies can use to estimate the number of residents, workers, and industries that could be impacted by events like hurricanes, blizzards, or fires. The application combines Census data with FEMA, NOAA, Department of the Interior, USDA, and local workforce data.
Business Builder
Business Builder is a web-based application geared toward new business startups. It integrates multiple Census surveys to create reports that entrepreneurs can use to check the feasibility and location for their new business ideas.
Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program
In this program, data is collected from state employment agencies and Census integrates their data with their own surveys to create new unique datasets. These applications allow us to view different characteristics like race, age, income, and industry about workers or residents for a selected geography. They can also show us where residents go to work and where workers come from.
Census Data for Journalists
“Census Reporter” is a Knight News Challenge-funded project to make it easy for journalists to write stories using US Census data. Although designed specifically with reporters in mind, it could also be a valuable tool for local officials, grant writers, and students.
October 01, 2015
