Turning Data and Community Engagement into Policy in New York City

In the Spring of 2024, Communities Speak, an initiative that aims to collect real-time data, engaged the SIPA Capstone team to elaborate a report based on their 2023 results, focusing mainly on the survey's childcare-related variables. The report prepared by the Capstone team used the policy brief issued by Communities Speak on April 4, 2022, titled “Families with Children Policy Brief,” as a basis for methodology, trend analysis, and policy recommendations. The report offered the presentation of the 2023 findings in a geolocation format with informed location-based recommendations connected with population, voucher eligibility/access, and vacant space data. In addition to longitudinal analysis, the scope of the report incorporated additional data sources that support Communities Speak's findings and research on the current scenario of childcare in NYC. The report concluded with policy recommendations targeting affordability, accessibility, and Communities Speak practices based on the latest 2023 findings. 

The report’s primary focus was to support Communities Speak in its mission of mapping and empowering communities to access localized data that can hinder effective policy-making. By equipping communities, community-driven organizations, and policymakers with the tools to analyze and visualize their unique challenges, the report intends to pave the way for more inclusive and responsive policy solutions in a comprehensive manner.