A five member coalition of community partners, made public the 2017 Community Focus Report, October 24th at the Springfield Art Museum Auditorium.
Since 2004, the biennial report card for Springfield and Greene County, has issued its own distinctive Blue Ribbons and Red Flags, to identify community strengths and challenges.
The 11 areas of study in the 2017 CFR, are contained within one or more of 6 overall community themes: Mental Health; Poverty; Infrastructure Development; Continued Collaboration; Sustainable Funding for Community Needs; and Civic Engagement.
2017 Community Focus Report Facilitator Jonathan Groves says CFR’s have been used to great effect by area non-profits, service organizations, and governmental agencies: “Especially the ones who have committed to the CFR, will use the report as a guide in their decision making and their priorities. They’re going to say, OK, we’ve identified these specific red flags, what are we doing specifically as a non-profit or as a group, to try to tackle and confront those red flags and solve those problems? And how are we looking at those Blue Ribbons to use as a guide in doing the right thing. It’s almost like a community reference in that way.”
Since 2004, the Biennial Community Focus Report has been funded by The Community Foundation of the Ozarks; The Jr. League of Springfield; The Springfield Greene County Library District; The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; and United Way of the Ozarks.
