Dear Past, Present, and Potential Members,

It goes without saying that the past year has brought unexpected and unanticipated challenges for all of us. In the midst of an international pandemic and global unrest, the need for community indicators has never been more apparent. We know that indicators projects around the world helped communities better understand conditions leading into the pandemic, putting communities from Alberni Valley to Yakima Valley in a position to better inform work to address the health, economic, and social impacts of COVID-19.

I am heartened to say that, even amidst these recent challenges, the Community Indicators Consortium remains a hub for communities and practitioners seeking to advance the practice and effective use of community indicators. Today, our hundreds of members from across the globe are leaders in using data to improve quality of life, and find value in the resources, programming, and peer exchange provided by CIC.

Your ongoing membership with CIC means that we can continue to promote the use of community indicators to make measured and sustained improvements in quality of life. Your support for our organization means that we can amplify the good work you do in communities throughout the world, and learn from one another through our annual Impact Summit, publications, and virtual trainings and webinars.

I am honored to serve as the 2021 Community Indicators Consortium president, and to work with our outstanding Board of Directors and new managing partners at the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) to move our organization forward during these challenging times. Many thanks to Frank Ridzi for his leadership over the past two years in a double term as president. Deep gratitude to Chantal Stevens for all she has done to advance the field of community indicators in her role as Executive Director of CIC for the past eight years. In recognition of her many years of service, please consider making a donation to CIC in her honor to support our organization’s work.

I look forward to connecting with many of you this year. Keep an eye on your inbox for monthly newsletters, which will keep you informed of upcoming opportunities like our First-Friday Coffee Break Series, CIC webinars and trainings, and the 2021 Impact Summit. I would also love to hear from you about things like:

  • What are you working on that is driving positive community change?
  • What projects, organizations, or communities do you admire for their ability to analyze, communicate community conditions, and catalyze action?
  • Who is making extraordinary contributions to the indicators field?

So please keep in touch! Even as we head into several more months of virtual connections, let’s toot our own horns, lift each other up, and build community and connection across our projects.

Allison Liuzzi