It’s hard, we know. Community Commons transitioned to version 3.0 in January 2019 and things just don’t look the same. Heck, the Commons won’t even look this way in April or August or January 2020. That’s because we’re on a journey, and right now is only an introduction to what the new Commons will be.
So, we’re glad you’re here and excited to show you what you can do — but remember — this is a dynamic place that will help you use data, tools, and stories to improve communities, but we need a little time and patience to make it just right.
What can you do now?
The CHNA and CHA tool has been released!
On March 5 we released the first iteration of the CHNA and CHA tool. Learn what a CHNA/CHA can do for you and how to get started.
Get Inspired
Watch this quick video of what Community Commons is all about.
You can also go to our homepage to see the latest featured stories or visit our Channels to view specific topics that interest you.
Our main topics are organized into six Channels that capture the breadth and depth of community issues by highlighting stories, maps, and data that speak to the topic. To get there, open the stacked menu in the top left corner of the homepage. From there, click on any Channel that interests you.
Make the Commons Yours
Even if you had an account on the old Commons, it’s time to re-register! Having an account allows you to interact with the tools, data, resources, and stories you find on the Commons, helping you make sense and gain context for the data you see. But an account is so much more than that. An account is also how you can give back to the Commons in a variety of ways, ensuring that together we are creating lasting change for communities like yours.
It’s free, easy, and that’s how you get access to the full slate of tools.
Access Support
We’re sure you’ve met our friendly OtterBot by now. It loves to greet people when they visit the Commons and has some fantastic support materials to share. You can always get the Otters attention by clicking on the Help toggle button in the top right corner. Or visit our Help Forum on your own to explore what we have to offer. We even have a Getting Started box to set you on your way.
Make a Map
It all started with a map, so we wouldn’t be Community Commons without a Map Room. Begin with your location and then it just takes a few clicks and you’re on your way to looking at visual data in your community.
Once you have selected your location, choose Add Data and then an Indicators box will open. Use the down chevron to do an advanced search.
As you can see, the same data can be seen at several different geographic levels. Choose the one that works best for you and click Add to Map.
Once you’ve made a map, you can share it by downloading or save it to your Collections or Favorites or both.
You can find your map in the place you selected it to be housed.
Where’s all the data? You’re right, there used to be more data sets available to map. Repopulating the data and adding metadata is part of the large body of work we have ahead of us. Check back each month for new, exciting updates.
Over the next few months you’ll see more indicators, more toolkits and resources, more collections, more data, and more of YOUR ideas incorporated into the Commons. Right now, things are simple. It’s not perfect, but our commitment to you is to provide an experience where you can connect data with context, where you can move from knowing to doing, and where you can find the human element behind the numbers.
Got questions? Ask our OtterBot or visit the Help Forum or send us a message at [email protected]
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