The results are in! On September 26, 2017, over 1,500 residents gathered across Lake County, Indiana, to discuss what makes our community great and how to make it even better. Following those conversations, participants were asked to take a survey to share feedback and key takeaways from their discussions.
“We asked On the Table participants to tell us about themselves, their communities, and the services they desire. The response rate was great,” said Legacy Foundation President Carolyn Saxton. “We will utilize the insights from the survey to guide Legacy Foundation’s future grant-making and encourage new collaborations throughout the region.”
An estimated 87% of On the Table participants completed the survey. Of those respondents, 83% said they believe they can have an impact in their community. More than 85% of respondents said they were likely to take action regarding an issue or solution discussed during On the Table. Respondents selected education and youth development, economic issues and poverty, and family as the most important issues to them. Transportation ranked first as a service respondents wished they had more of in their community and ranked last as a service in their community with which they are happy regarding its quality.
An Impact Report available on the Foundation’s website presents the results of the survey and incorporates analyses to provide insight into the summary data. Additionally, an interactive tool is available to explore the data and narrow focus by zip code or demographic. A comparison between various subgroups can also be generated.
To read the Impact Report, or to explore the data, please visit www.legacyfdn.org/onthetable.
The Legacy Foundation is one of 10 community foundations across the U.S. that participated in the On the Table initiative in 2017 with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Support for On the Table is one part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to help cities attract and keep talented people, expand economic opportunity and create a culture of civic engagement. Knight Foundation believes that successful communities are equitable, inclusive and participatory.
The University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement (IPCE) conducted and analyzed the survey findings in their role as research partner for this initiative.
About Legacy Foundation
Legacy Foundation is a community foundation and the leading philanthropic partner in Lake County, Ind. Through the generosity of a wide base of donors, Legacy Foundation has awarded over $40 million in grants and scholarships to nonprofit organizations and individuals since its founding in 1992. The Foundation manages approximately $55 million in assets and is governed by a volunteer board of directors representing a diverse spectrum of business, education, and the nonprofit and public sectors. Learn more at www.legacyfdn.org.
About The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. It invests in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. The foundation’s goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which it believes are essential for a healthy democracy. For more information, visit knightfoundation.org.