What is the Vibrancy Portal?
The Vibrancy Portal helps under-resourced non-profit, social enterprise, and municipal leaders to secure additional resources and create a greater impact. The Portal provides accessible and actionable data insights through two primary functions: a community data Explorer and organizational data Manager.
Based on New Sun Rising’s experience supporting grassroots community initiatives, we recognize that a lack of data + advocacy capacity limits an ability to grow and collectively transform extractive systems. In 2019, we launched the Power in Numbers initiative to help organizations and communities secure the financial, social, intellectual, and creative capital necessary to reach their goals.
Do No Harm With Data
We recognize the power of data to shape discoveries, insights, and investments that directly impact people and communities. We strive for inclusive, participatory data practices which honor community ownership and stewardship. We see data as more than numbers, it represents lives and relationships. We commit to using data in a way that does not harm the people we are trying to help.
How does the Vibrancy Portal help you Explore community data?
New Sun Rising recognizes the need to democratize data insights and help underserved communities be more competitive for resources. We worked with Carnegie Mellon University and participants in our fellowship program to create a geo mapping application that would be filterable by the Sustainable Development Goals. Although similar tools exist, most provide information at the county level and are not sensitive enough to show differing conditions between neighborhoods.
The overall Vibrancy Index is composed of 50 factors for equitable, sustainable communities, with sub-indices in Culture, Sustainability, Opportunity, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Culture Index
- Hunger (SDG 2) - Food, Agriculture
- Health & Wellbeing (SDG 3) - Physical, Mental, Addiction, Street Safety, Air Pollution
- Gender (SDG 5) - Gender Disparities
- Inequalities (SDG 10) - Racial and Ethnic Disparities
- Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16) - Violent Crime, Safety, Voting
Sustainability Index
- Water (SDG 6) - Clean Water, Green Infrastructure
- Energy (SDG 7) - Clean Energy, Renewable Energy, Utility Costs
- Sustainable Communities (SDG 11) - Housing, Preservation, Walkability, Public Transit
- Consumption & Production (SDG 12) - Toxic Waste
- Climate Action (SDG 13) - Carbon Footprint
- Life on Land (SDG 15) - Trees, Green Space
Opportunity Index
- Poverty (SDG 1)- Income, Social Benefit, Homeownership
- Education (SDG 4) - Education, Training
- Workforce (SDG 8) - Business, Employment
- Industry & Innovation (SDG 9) - Manufacturing, Technology, Internet
Vibrancy Portal 2.0
With the release of the Vibrancy Portal 2.0 in June 2022, we expanded the geography to include Beaver County as well as Allegheny County, performed a data quality review, added new data sets, and overhauled the user interface with a goal of making the platform as accessible as possible.
How do organizations Manage their data using the Vibrancy Portal?
Research shows that organizations and collaboratives with high data cultures benefit through increased funding, stronger internal and external relationships, and more effective operations. Unfortunately, we know that most small and mid sized organizations do not have the time, tools, or expertise to do so. The Vibrancy Portal was created so that all people can more easily manage their data, helping under-resourced community groups, organizations, and collaboratives to improve their effectiveness and impact.
The Manage section of the Vibrancy Portal allows leaders to collect, analyze, and communicate data around 5 key areas:
- Issues- understand the conditions experienced by people in the community you serve and how they compare to others in order to strengthen your case for resources
- Capacity - gain insights into your organizational effectiveness in the areas of Planning, Resources, Connectivity, and Identity to strengthen your organization
- Impact - collect and monitor the ways that you improve the lives of the people and communities you serve
- Finances - fiscally sponsored projects of New Sun Rising track their income, request expense payments, and monitor available balances of grant, donor, sponsorship, and earned income
- Reports - share data stories and infographics to improve engagement and advocacy
Create a Vibrancy Portal Profile
Why are data and advocacy important?
How we experience and understand the world around us is shaped by the stories we are told, and the stories that we get to tell. Ideally, all people have equal opportunity to define this shared narrative. But in reality some people are better positioned to collect, analyze, and communicate the information necessary to advocate for resources to achieve their goals.