The Spartanburg Community Indicators Project is a collaboration of The Spartanburg County Foundation, United Way of the Piedmont, Spartanburg County Government, and The University of South Carolina Upstate. It reports on progress of key issues that are the clearest indicators of quality of life in the County of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

 

The identified key indicator areas include:

•  Education

•  Economy

•  Public Health

•  Natural Environment

•  Social Environment

•  Community Engagement

Goal

The goal of the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project is to report on data and community initiatives to inspire dialogue and strategy that lead to changes within the community.

 

History

In 1987, Critical Indicators was established under the leadership of The Spartanburg County Foundation's board of trustees whose vision was to measure the quality of life in Spartanburg County. The board formed a team of volunteers to gather data, and in 1989, published the first Critical Indicators Report . Similar reports were produced in 1991, 1994, and 1997. These reports provided a valuable resource to the entire community, influencing development decisions, assisting organizations in their planning and encouraging dialogue among citizens.

 

While the reports were very valuable and instrumental to the community, the Foundation began looking for ways in which to further engage the citizens of Spartanburg County. Critical Indicators underwent a name change to Community Indicators. The Foundation worked closely with the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce to publish Community Indicators V in 2001. The result was a report that was enhanced with photos and other visual design features meant to further engage Spartanburg County residents.

 

In 2003, the Foundation formed a partnership with the United Way of the Piedmont. Several focus groups were held to further engage citizens, and in 2005, Community Indicators VI: Strategic Spartanburg was published. The report included the culmination of many hours of discussion and research that resulted in a community-wide project focused on the quality of life for all community citizens.

 

In 2006, The Spartanburg County Government was added as a key partner in the project and supported a second phase of planning built around strategies for improvement. The Improvement Plan was unveiled to the community in 2006, offering established community priorities and a framework for the future.

 

One challenge for Community Indicators was its ability to collect and analyze data in real time, as the process was expensive and very time intensive. In 2007, the Foundation approached The University of South Carolina Upstate for assistance. The University was in the process of creating the Metropolitan Studies Institute and was excited to join as the fourth partner in this initiative. Transitioning data collection and analysis to the Metropolitan Studies Institute allowed for a more comprehensive assessment of the status of each goal via examination of a wider variety of indicators. It was also during this time that Community Indicators underwent a rebranding and name change. Community Indicators became known as the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project. The rebranding also included the implementation of a strategic marketing plan and development of a logo.

 

Today, the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project is managed by a cabinet of committed stakeholders that represent each of the four partner organizations. Through the partnership with Metropolitan Studies Institute, reports around each of the six priority areas are evaluated and published periodically every two years. Subject matter experts are intimately involved in each report update. Open educational forums are planned around each publication to disperse the findings and engage the community in conversation about future improvement.

 

More Information

For more information about the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project, visit www.strategicspartanburg.org .