tracking changes in the north country
The Carsey Institute is embarking on an extensive three-pronged research project to understand the ongoing changes in New Hampshire's North Country and bordering communities in the United States and Canada. This benchmark and indicator work provides ongoing information and analysis to all of the stakeholders involved with sustainable community economic development in the North Country region. In 2007, the Carsey Institute received an initial tranche of support from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to launch the project. The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the Foundation has a geographic interest in the northern region of New Hampshire and its neigboring communities. This comprehensive research will help regional policy makers, community development practitioners and other North Country leaders and stakeholders plan interventions and monitor the progress of ongoing activities. The availability of high quality, up-to-date information and analysis of trends and conditions in the region increases awareness and understanding of regional challenges and opportunities, and informs investment strategies to more effectively transform the region from managing slow decline to building a sustainable future that attracts and retains young people.
The project includes an indicator website for socio-economic data in the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund’s region of interest, a bi-annual survey of adults in Coos and Oxford Counties, and a panel study following young people in Coos County. While each of the three activities of the Tracking Changes in the North Country project are generating highly valued and useful information, when taken together they provide a far richer picture of the North Country than could possibly be drawn from any one of the activities alone.
This project represents a rare opportunity at a truly unique time in the North Country’s history. The underlying objective of the Carsey Institute’s Tracking Change project is to make methodologically sophisticated, applied and policy-oriented information available to highly committed regional actors and decision makers. This work comes at a time when the region is undergoing dramatic changes and the Fund is making significant financial investments in the North Country. It is critical because decisions based on sound data and analysis better equip leaders to shape change in positive ways.
For more information about each of the projects in Tracking Changes in the North Country, please visit the links to the left.
If you have specific questions or comments regarding this work, please contact Carsey Deputy Director Curt Grimm or call the Carsey Institute at (603) 862-2821.
Generous support provided by the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.