This toolkit provides guidance for conducting assessments of community needs and resources. OutlineExamples Describe the makeup and history of the community to provide a context within which to collect data on its current concerns. Comment on the types of information that best describes the community (e.g., demographic, historical, political, civic participation, key leaders, past concerns, geographic, assets) Describe the sources of information used (e.g., public records, local people, internet, maps, phone book, library, newspaper) Comment on whether there are sufficient resources (e.g., time, personnel, resources) available to collect this information Assess the quality of the information Describe the strengths and problems you heard about Related resources: Understanding and Describing the Community Collecting Information About the Problem Conducting Interviews Conducting Surveys Qualitative Methods to Assess Community Issues Using Public Records and Archival Data Identifying Community Assets and Resources Describe the methods (e.g., public forums, listening sessions, focus groups, interviews, surveys, observation) used to collect descriptive information SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Describe what matters to people in the community, including a description of: Issues that people in the community care about (e.g., safety, education, housing, health) How important these issues are to the community (e.g., perceived importance, consequences for the community) Methods the group will (did) use to listen to the community (e.g., listening sessions, public forums, interviews, concerns surveys, focus groups) Related resources: Obtaining Feedback from Constituents: What Changes are Important and Feasible? Participatory Approaches to Planning Community Interventions Rating Community Goals The Constituent Survey of Outcomes: Ratings of Importance Conducting Public Forums and Listening Sessions Conducting Focus Groups Conducting Concerns Surveys Conducting Interviews Conducting Surveys Describe what matters to key stakeholders, including: Who else cares about the issue (the stakeholders) and what do they care about? What stakeholders want to know about the situation (e.g., who is affected, how many, what factors contribute to the problem) Prioritized populations and subgroups that stakeholders intend to benefit from the effort Methods you will (did) use to gather information (e.g., surveys, interviews) Related resources: Developing a Plan for Identifying Local Needs and Resources Conducting Needs Assessment Surveys Determining Service Utilization Identifying Targets and Agents of Change: Who Can Benefit and Who Can Help? Conducting Interviews Conducting Surveys (For each candidate problem/goal) Describe the evidence indicating whether the problem/goal should be a priority issue, including: The community-level indicators (e.g., rate of infant deaths or vehicle crashes) related to the issue How frequently the problem (or related behavior) occurs (e.g., number of youth reporting alcohol use in the past 30 days) How many people are affected by the problem and the severity of its effects How feasible it is to address the issue Possible impact and/or consequences of addressing the problem/goal Related resources: Collecting Information About the Problem Developing Baseline Measures of Behavior Obtaining Feedback from Constituents: What Changes are Important and Feasible? Gathering and Using Community-Level Indicators Describe the barriers and resources for addressing the identified issue(s), including: Barriers or resistance to solving the problem or achieving the goal (e.g., denial or discounting of the problem) and how they can be minimized (e.g., reframing the issue) What resources and assets are available and how the group can tap into those resources to address the issue Community context or situation that might make it easier or more difficult to address this issue Related resources: Developing a Plan for Identifying Local Needs and Resources Identifying Community Assets and Resources Identifying Opponents Overview of Opposition Tactics: Recognizing the Ten D's How to Respond to Counterattacks (Based on the assessment) Select and state the priority issue (or issues) to be addressed by the group.
