Learning for Greater Impact
COMMUNITY CHATS
What We Explored
Over the course of the planning process, we conducted focus groups and interviews with nonprofits, donors, volunteers, local leaders, and other community members to understand how people perceive the Foundation’s work and to get feedback on the biggest challenges the community and the nonprofits that serve it are facing. Finally, we looked inward, engaging board and staff in multiple conversations about who we are, what we stand for, and how we can make the greatest difference.
What We Learned
The community’s responses aligned with what we saw in the data, some of which is shown below. Asked to prioritize, our focus group and interview participants identified health & wellness, education, and economic opportunity as top needs. Talent attraction, talent retention, and population growth, emerged as another priority, with a focus on increasing the percentage of high school and post-secondary students choosing to stay and work in Owen County.
Health & Wellness
Education & Childcare
Owen County Child Care Capacity for Children Under Age 5