Newsletter | February 2025

Last week, many federal datasets from CDC, Census Bureau and other agencies were removed from federal websites, including data documentation. During the outage, CTData was able to access the American Community Survey (ACS) API and began writing scripts to download over 1,000 ACS tables. This effort aims to archive Connecticut's ACS data across geographic levels (counties, planning regions, towns and certain census tracts) and preserve documentation to safeguard against future access disruptions.

Additionally, in response to the recent removal of critical datasets from federal government websites, we have written a letter to Connecticut's Congressional delegation urging restoration of public data. These datasets are crucial for investment and planning decisions across Connecticut's private, public, and nonprofit sectors. We encourage you to join us in advocating for this vital public good by contacting your representatives (click here for contact information).

Upcoming Events

Welcome to CTData: Resources, Tools, and Connections

Whether you’re just beginning to work with data or wanting to improve your data skills, our organization has a wealth of resources, tools, and connections available.  Join us on Feb 11^th for an overview of CTData, a tour of our website, and learn how we can help you turn numbers into informed decisions. This workshop is offered as part of the ICR Community Research Alliance Program, “Building CBO power through Assessment, Analysis and Advocacy” and in partnership with the UCONN Health Disparities Institute.

Equity in Data Community of Practice

Join fellow like-minded data folk at our Community of Practice on February 18^th. These monthly sessions provide a collaborative space to explore critical data questions, including "How can we ensure our data disaggregation methods don't inadvertently make certain groups invisible?" and "How can we shift our focus to highlight the strengths, rather than deficits, of the communities we serve?"

Data by Topic: Data at your Fingertips

Last week, we launched our updated Data by Topic platform on our website, a convenient way to access and download town-level data for various geographies within Connecticut. On February 25^th, we will be holding a webinar to where we will explore the capabilities of the platform and discover ways to integrate our datasets into your work. Register today to learn how to make the most of Data by Topic!

Share What Matters: Become a Data Storyteller

Whether you are trying to get your team on board with an idea, convince people to support a cause, or just want your presentations to stand out, knowing how to create a data story can make all the difference. We’ll be holding a workshop on February 27^th that offers a process to create clear and memorable data stories that guide readers toward action.

Hartford Youth Data Fellows Begin Their Five-month Internship!

We would like to welcome our incoming 2025 cohort of Hartford Youth Data Fellows! They began their five-month journey last month, diving into community data analysis and beginning to develop their own data projects, drawing attention to the complexities of important issues in their communities. Their projects will be showcased at this year’s Data Walk in the spring. 

We are Seeking a Program Evaluation Specialist

We are seeking a mid-career Program Evaluation Specialist to conduct mixed-method evaluations of multi-year projects. The person in this role will coordinate with an external nonprofit program team to develop data collection tools, create standardized processes, and analyze data to inform implementation at system and provider levels. We offer a flexible hybrid work environment that balances collaborative office time and remote work, with the requirement that candidates live in or relocate to Connecticut. 

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