Twin Cities Compass

Measuring progress. Inspiring action.

The Twin Cities region has long been known for offering a high quality of life – but will it remain so? How can we ensure that the Twin Cities will retain its strong, competitive edge, while providing opportunities for all to contribute to, and share in, our relative prosperity? How do we know we are moving in the right direction?

Twin Cities Compass gives everyone in the Twin Cities -- policymakers, business and community leaders, and concerned individuals who live and work here -- a common foundation to identify, understand and act on community issues that affect our region.

GOALS

To provide unbiased, credible information about how our region is faring; to alert policy makers, community leaders and the public to significant trends; to promote coordinated efforts to address them; and to measure and communicate progress.

Twin Cities Compass tracks topics that impact our quality of life, including civic engagement, early childhood, economy and workforce, education, health, housing, public safety and transportation.

Because disparities among different groups can create significant challenges to regional progress, Twin Cities Compass includes trend data by race, place, age, gender and income whenever possible.

PROJECT HISTORY

Momentum for this initiative began in 2004 when a delegation of community leaders from Minnesota visited Boston and learned about the Boston Indicators Project. The Itasca Project, several foundations, and other groups interested in the Twin Cities’ vitality and global competitiveness turned to Wilder Research to implement a similar project for our region.

Wilder built on its experience in producing Metro Trend Watch to develop Twin Cities Compass, a comprehensive indicators project that includes outreach, public education and coordination with those working to promote positive change in our region.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

In partnership with the Itasca Project, Wilder Research has brought together groups of policy-makers, business and community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholder groups to determine what information will be most useful to them to measure community progress, identify solutions and build consensus to take productive action.

More than 300 volunteers from academia, private industry, public and non-profit sectors have helped to shape Twin Cities Compass – serving on topic advisory groups, a technical advisory committee and a disparities advisory group.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Through presentations, publications and this web site, Wilder Research will report new findings, discuss how issues are being addressed, and inform groups on action they can take to increase progress.

Twin Cities Compass sponsors and partners

SHAPING THE PROJECT
Community leaders tell why they got involved.