The May 16 State of Aging Report forum will explore Central Indiana trends in the socioeconomic wellbeing of older women, implications for their long-term health and wellbeing, and ideas for planning and building their networks of support. Presented by The Central Indiana Senior Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, in partnership with The Polis Center and WFYI Public Media.

On Dec. 7, the Polis Center showcased a new statewide tool it developed that will help users better understand trends and relationships between evictions and societal factors. The goal of the tool is to raise awareness of evictions in Indiana and provide a resource to empower communities to instill change. Experts in the eviction and housing circle will serve as expert panelists to provide insight and perspective on this important topic. Partners in the project include WFYI Public Radio and New America, a “think and action” tank which focuses on equity at the center of its research and policy recommendations.

Where are children most affected and at risk for lead exposure in the Promise Neighborhood? Read our analysis of the adverse effects of childhood lead exposure, inequities relative to the rest of Marion County, and action steps regarding what can be done about it.

This initiative features bimonthly e-newsletter updates on how the Indianapolis metro area is recovering and emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic on some of the most pressing and challenging issues in our community. August 2023 research  shows Indianapolis unemployment rate increasing from 2.6% in April to 3.6% in June (nationwide increase from 3.4% to 3.7%); housing prices in the Indianapolis metro area declined in July 2022 for the first time in nearly a year, although since April 2023, it has been steadily increasing again with July’s median home prices being close to $300K; Central Indiana monthly average monthly rent hovers around $1200/month; and there is a decline in homicides, although the rate is still higher than both 2017 and 2018.

The Polis Center’s expertise in neighborhood level community information differentiates it, bringing a holistic perspective to best identify improvements. It looks beyond the physical infrastructure elements of mitigation by bearing in mind a region’s vulnerable populations, social weaknesses and services, social determinants of health, and more when preparing a community’s MHMP.

Polis partnered with Welborn Baptist Foundation to customize the SAVI community information system to support the region’s Grow Capacity Building platform. The Grow data system aims to help local stakeholders better understand the community’s demographics, needs, and assets. The SAVI team also is building capacity of Grow leaders to support local organizations in their use of data.