Data collection is an essential component of most assessment, planning and evaluation projects.  This section outlines a few useful tools related to qualitative and quantitative data collection that may be of value in developing a picture of community needs and assets.

The most accurate and accessible source of demographic data is the 2000 Census.  The Census website provides detailed population, housing, social and economic data sets.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation also provides online data for each state that tracks the status of children in the United States.  The KIDS COUNT website  provides state and town-level data for over 75 measures of child well-being. 

The State of Connecticut Department of Labor, Labor Market Information website provides unemployment rates for Connecticut's cities and towns.

The American Association for Public Opinion Research offers a summary of Best Practices for Survey and Public Opinion Research.  This tool provides a framework for thinking through issues related to survey conceptualization, organization, sampling, questionnaire design, data collection, data processing and analysis.

Creative Research Systems offers survey design tips and a link to a sample size calculator for determining the number of respondents needed for a statistically sound sample.