Philanthropy’s Fixing Up Parks and Public Spaces. How Do We Know It’s Helping Communities?

“One important feature in the data is that it looks not just at what’s happening at the site, but also the surrounding neighborhood. They’re measuring income and racial diversity of site visitors, but also the neighbors around it. You could imagine a park with diverse visitors in an increasingly white neighborhood, or a diverse neighborhood with a park that’s only used by one demographic.

“By gathering data, not just on use, but also on how such projects affect support for politicians, engagement with government, & equitable economic development, it could further arm advocates pushing for more widespread projects or policy.”

Inside Philanthropy features Reimagining the Civic Commons’ metrics system, a new method for determining the multi-faceted value of reinvesting in civic assets.

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