Research develops understanding and decision-making. In order to ensure research will ultimately contribute to action and progress, studies must be shaped carefully. In the community development field people-based outcomes are inevitable but often intangible, making it difficult to capture and document. Crafting the right research methodologies and ensuring that questions will result in actionable data is critical. As a practitioner with experience in research, EKS Solutions can support new studies by grounding the study in reality on the ground and assist with both the analysis application and findings dissemination.

Policies are the guiding principles  that are crafted for adoption by an organization, government, or business to ensure consistent service delivery with a clear framework for evaluation and adaptation. 

• University of Michigan School of Public Health - Detroit Vacant Lot Reuse & Firearms Violence Prevention
• Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center - Partner in a study on the Effects of Community Engagement on Greening
• WCDC Seeking Solutions - a Wilkinsburg vacant property report 
• Liabilities to Assets - A Comprehensive Strategy for Transforming Vacant land, Tri-COG Land Bank 

The documentation and dissemination of technical and practical information is critical to the sustainability of ideas and momentum. By putting information, resources, and skills in the hands of those most affected by change, there is a chance to encourage and empower residents and communities to manage their own futures. 

• Vacant Land Online Resource Center - partnered with Center for Community Progress to provide content and improve user experience
• Wilkinsburg Vacant Property Resources
• LotstoLove.org Responsible for the concept, design, content, and launch of this vacant land online resource center (completed while at Grounded)

Community planning encourages you to get  acquainted with people, locations, and potential assets and hazards within a community. Community planning empowers neighbors to prepare for the unexpected together. Plans are most impactful when executed under stated goals, founded on current data, bounded by known constraints, and involve all those who will be affected by the outcomes. In order to be meaningful, the work should be inclusive; this means, meeting people where they are and translating often complex and nuanced terms and processes to establish a simple baseline so that everyone can participate. Additionally, the most successful plans are those who consider implementation at the start and build in actionable milestones to help keep the momentum while acknowledging the time being put in by those who are participating. 

• WCDC Strong Neighborhoods Initiative
• Green Blvd Propert Acquisition Study (completed under GTECH)
• Mon Valley Investigation (completed under GTECH)
• Collaboration in the Corridors (completed under GTECH)
• Youth In Green (completed under GTECH)

Sometimes, images speak louder than words. Data in a spreadsheet has a purpose but may not be easily understood by the key stakeholders and the general public. Mapping and data visualization can help display the data in more digestible ways and draw new voices into the conversation and help demonstrate need and progress to share with partners and funders. 

• Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation - vacant property inventory and analysis of data.
• Hilltop Alliance maps to highlight location and progress of property stabilization efforts.
• Assisting Rising Tide Partners in the customization of the Regrid application for neighborhood level data collection and analysis. 
• Strengthening Northside Communities (completed under GTECH)