In a previous post, now nearly ten years old, I wrote about how data can improve the effectiveness of your organization or local government. Telling a "data story" can help guide decisions, set a future vision, and identify areas of strength or concern. Additionally, I noted that knowing where to find demographic data is crucial when pursuing grants. Most funders, both federal and beyond, require documentation of demographics for the community or population to be served by the grant award. The inclusion of demographic information is often required as part of grant application processes to demonstrate the need for the funds or to meet certain thresholds that determine grant award eligibility. This need for data persists today. For this reason, one of the sections in our Community and Economic Development team’s training offering, “The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing,” covers where to find demographic data.
Most people are familiar with federal data sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census is the authority on collecting and disseminating demographic information. I currently serve as State Lead for the Illinois State Census Data Center. One of our primary roles is to provide technical assistance to those seeking Census data.
Other well-known federal sources include the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which provides information on employment and the economy. At the state level, the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s Labor Market Information system has numerous economic datasets for Illinois counties. However, other sources of useful data, both federal and non-federal, are more specialized and perhaps less widely known. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has local health-outcome and health-indicator data available through its CDC Places system. The Illinois State Board of Education has their Illinois Interactive Report Card which features data on school, teacher, and student demographics and performance. The National Low Income Housing Coalition has data on rental affordability by county and zip code available through their Out of Reach report dashboard. These three examples are merely the tip of the iceberg as far as the data that are available out there.
Being a savvy consumer of data is more important than ever, especially as AI tools and language models are increasingly used to answer questions and conduct basic research. If you are using AI tools to find demographic data, be sure to double-check the veracity of the results they generate. Make sure any citations to data provided in generative AI responses are real, and check that the data values provided by the AI tool match the original sources.
Illinois Extension’s Community and Economic Development team is here to support you and your data needs. If you would like assistance or a consultation on where to obtain data to support your planning, operations, or grant-development efforts, contact Zach Kennedy, Extension Specialist, Community and Economic Development and State Lead – Illinois State Census Data Center, at zkenned2@illinois.edu.
About the author
Zach Kennedy is an Extension Specialist in Community and Economic Development with state-wide responsibilities for Illinois Extension. He is an economist and urban planner by educational background, having earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Illinois. He has over fifteen years of experience helping communities and regions develop plans, including economic development plans. Zach has had formal training as a facilitator. Additionally, he is highly skilled in working with demographic, economic, and spatial data including mapping using geographic information system (GIS) software. He is a proponent of data informed decision making and has a depth of experience explaining demographic and economic data to economic developers, local elected officials, and lay audiences. Zach brought the Illinois State Census Data Center (ISCDC) to Illinois Extension where he serves as the Center Lead. The ISCDC provides technical assistance and outreach on using Census data. The ISCDC serves as a liaison between the state’s Census data users and the U.S. Census Bureau.