2024 Owen County Community Needs Assessment

COMMUNITY

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Preliminary Report

A NOTE FROM LEADERSHIP

The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) partners with those who give to enrich the quality of life and strengthen community for this and future generations. Through this lens, we view our role in the Owen County community as three-fold.

First, it is our responsibility to gather and grow assets. This includes developing relationships with donors and investing and protecting the principal of donors’ gifts.

Second, we are committed to broad, flexible grantmaking. This requires our staff and board to understand community needs in order to re-direct charitable dollars as those needs evolve. These grants may be proactive or responsive in nature but are certainly more effective if made from a place of understanding and knowledge.

Third, it is our role to act as a community leader. There are many ways to play a leadership role including acting as a convener, effectively guiding resources to the areas of greatest need or opportunity and educating the public on issues that are of most concern to them.

With this in mind, and using funding provided by our Lilly Endowment GIFT VIII Planning Grant, OCCF committed to leading a unique Community Needs Assessment in 2024. Our goals for this endeavor were to identify and prioritize needs and assets in Owen County, unite organizations and resources, and create solutions that produce significant and lasting results.

OCCF humbly presents the following public report as a summary of this process and its findings. We are grateful to the many partners, donors, and community members who made this work possible.

It is our hope that the information collected through the 2024 Community Needs Asseessment will allow our community’s decision-makers to come together and create data-informed solutions to the needs of our community, foster collaboration among agencies and sectors, and improve the overall well-being and quality of life of Owen County residents.

Janet Rummel President & CEO

SUMMARY

The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) is an active participant in several local and regional development organizations. OCCF has worked on the Owen County Quality of Place Plan, Owen County Comprehensive Plan, Owen County Housing Study and the Indiana Uplands Regional Development Plan. Through our participation in those monumental projects and our own strategic planning process, we convened focus groups and analyzed local data, and we prioritized local needs that required special attention: 1) access to unbiased, accurate information; 2) access to parks and recreational programming; and 3) access to childcare and high-quality early childhood education. These three areas of focus will guide our grantmaking and programming for 2024.

In addition to a survey asking about a variety of issues, OCCF planned a series of five public meetings in different locations in Owen County. Though the meetings were designed to gather information on a variety of topics, we referred to these meetings as Solution Sessions and focused on the three areas of focus mentioned above. Invitation cards – including a QR code link to the survey and the date, time, and location of the Solution Sessions – were mailed to every address in Owen County.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF RESULTS

More details are listed in the following sections. All the feedback should be considered as future plans are made. A few suggestions rose to the top.

SOLUTION SESSIONS:

How might we increase access to accurate local news?

• Provide funds to grow The Owen News (new nonprofit local news source).

• Train high school students who want to serve as local reporters.

•Produce a physical printed newspaper.

How might we ensure quality 0-5 childcare services in Owen County?

• Location of facilities is a primary concern, impacting transportation, as well as proximity to schools and workplaces.

• Training and wages for staff were noted as a challenge, leading to suggestions of partnerships.

• Co-op programs using parents and home-schools provide additional opportunities to expand programs.

What is needed for parks and recreation activities in Owen County?

• Safe, accessible playgrounds for children in a safe location

• Programming, especially summer programs for children/youth, including sports

• More trails, connected trails, rails-to-trails, extra lanes on a road

SURVEY

The most frequently selected response for each question is provided below.

What do you do in Owen County? (Live, Work, Play)

• Live

If you work in Owen County - Do you own a Business or Farm? (Business, Farm, None)

• None

When you play in Owen County, what activities do you do?

• Entertainment (Dining, movies, festivals, etc.)

Which township do you reside in?

• Washington

How long have you lived in Owen County?

• Over 20 years

Please select 5 community assets that are “Very Important” to you.

• Clean environment (including water, air, sewage, and waste disposal)

• Adequate parks, trails, and open spaces

• Trusted community leadership

• Access to accurate local news and information

• Strong K-12 education system

Please select only 5 additional community assets that are “Somewhat Important” to you.

• Safe neighborhoods

• Clean environment (including water, air, sewage, and waste disposal)

• Trusted community leadership

• Access to quality healthcare options/ mental health treatment resources

• Community unity and trust

Please select the TOP 5 issues facing your community.

• Lack of local news and information

• Inadequate job opportunities

• Lack of affordable and/or diverse housing options and resources

• Lack of knowledge or understanding of existing community resources

• Inadequate access to broadband Internet

Of the following, which is the most important aspect of parks and recreation to you?

• Local trails that are easily accessible

Of the following, which is the most important aspect of access to a local news and information source?

• Community announcements

Of the following, which is the most important aspect of early learning resources and/or early childhood education (birth to age 5)?

• Access to quality early childhood education

How willing are you to actively engage in making your community a better place?

• Very willing

What is your age?

• 65+

What is your gender identity?

• Female

The Owen County median annual household income is $57,716. What is your annual household income?

• $57,716 or above

What is your race/ethnicity?

• White, non-Hispanic

SOLUTION SESSIONS

The sessions were held at the:

- Freedom Community Center on January 18

- Patricksburg Elementary School on January 25

- Cataract Fire Department on February 6

- Gosport Elementary School on February 13

- Owen Valley High School (Spencer) on February 21

All meetings began at 6 pm and were concluded by 7:30. Light refreshments were provided.

Eighty people attended the meetings. Sixty-three signed an attendance sheet.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OWEN COUNTY

When people arrived, they were asked to list what they love about Owen County. Below is a compiled list of Owen County assests.

• Natural beauty, scenery, beautiful countryside, and similar features were mentioned at least twelve times.

• Great people, friendly people, nice people were also listed at least twelve times.

• Small-town feel was another quality mentioned at least eight, sometimes noting access to larger communities and city amenities.

• Quiet, rural feel with a slower pace and lower traffic and crime were similar qualities, mentioned at least six times.

• The state park (3), fair (2), and YMCA (2) were listed in several sessions.

• Other items include the White River, festivals and events, downtown revitalization, freedom, and family farms.

WHAT I WISH FOR OWEN COUNTY

Attendees were also asked to list what they wish for Owen County.

• Services for the needy, including disabled and equal opportunities for all (6)

• Services and opportunities for youth (3)

• New businesses/restaurants (4)

• Sustained growth – not too fast (3)

• Government responsiveness (2)

• A newspaper

SOLUTION SESSIONS

ACCESS TO UNBIASED, ACURATE NEWS SOURCE

Where do you currently get news and information?

• Facebook, including Owen County Chatter (8)

• Word of mouth (8)

• Internet/web sites (5)

• Schools and other newsletters (5)

• Anton Neff, county councilperson (4)

• Newspapers (2)

• TV/Radio (3)

• Mail (1)

• The Owen News (1)

What information is missing? What do you want to know?

When the list was completed, attendees were asked to vote for their top choices.

• Local government coverage, agendas, results, etc. (41)

• Local events/community calendar (29)

• Community news source/sense of community/ Comprehensive news source (24)

• Social resources/not-for-profits/community opportunities (15)

• Local sports/youth activities (14)

• Police/crime reports/911 info (14)

• Human interest/history/positive issues (10)

• A physical paper (7)

• New businesses (7)

• Classified ads (6)

• Court records/legal notices (5)

• Hospital news (3)

• Letters to editor (1), Road closures (1), Pollution cleanup (1), No corporate affiliation (1), County fair (1)

SOLUTION SESSIONS

How might we increase access to accurate local news?

Attendees shared possible sources for the news they are seeking. We explained The Owen News Project and how it plans to provide local news. The items they listed for what they are seeking and the potential assets for unbiased news gathering are helpful to this effort.

• Provide funds to grow The Owen News (new nonprofit local news source).

• Train high school students who want to serve as local reporters.

• Produce a physical printed newspaper.

• A website that is one place for everything (2)

• Government sources like the library, sheriff’s logs, disaster news, township trustees (2)

• Some Facebook sites; Major employers; Electronic sign with information; Text alerts.

Examples of good community information sources were provided: Green County, IN; News Gazette in Brayard, IA; Cataract Community News; Online Gazette.

Attendees said they would be willing to pay for a trusted news source. One participant suggested a free service with a donation button.

CHILDCARE/EARLY LEARNING

Where do families get quality 0-5 childcare now?

• Local schools, SOCS and Cloverdale and Head Start (7)

• Families (4)

• Limited number of licensed facilities (4)

• Private and in-home daycare (4)

• YMCA (3)

• Churches (2) What is needed?

The discussion of current needs led to a discussion of why local offerings are limited.

• Lack of licenses, certifications, and quality.

• Transportation to facilities allowing daycare around work shifts and work places.

• Low wage of workers

• No special needs daycare services

How might we ensure quality 0-5 childcare services in Owen County?

At each meeting, multiple suggestions for ensuring and expanding quality care were offered. While a variety of excellent ideas were discussed, a few recurring themes emerged.

• Location of facilities is a primary concern, impacting transportation, as well as proximity to schools and workplaces. Do schools have additional capacity or is a new early learning center needed?

• Training and wages for staff was noted as a challenge, leading to suggestions of partnerships with schools, churches, and nursing homes and using the 4-H Safe Sitter program.

• Co-op programs for parents and home-based care may provide another opportunity to expand programs if they can get certification.

• A common thread was that additional licensing, staff training programs, child-care facilities, and transportation needs are subject to a lot of regulations and red tape that can discourage innovation.

• Legislative involvement and employer cooperation and subsidies could be used for funding.

• A trusted news source is needed to get information about programs to families.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Information was shared with attendees: Owen County is 11th from the bottom in Indiana in terms of access to trails in Indiana. In addition, the county is eighth worst in Indiana in terms of health statistics. In some of the meetings an information sheets were shared about the economic and health benefits of trails in a community. During the Owen County Comprehensive Plan process, the need for a county parks department was highlighted.

What types of parks and recreational activities would you like to see in Owen

• Safe, accessible playgrounds for children in a safe location (14)

• Programming, especially summer programs for children/youth, including sports (13)

• More trails, connected trails, rails-totrails, extra lanes on a road (12)

• Use of the White River and kayaking (10)

• Expand 4-H, with more volunteers (7)

• Splash pad (6)

• Better sidewalks (5)

• Dog park (4)

• ATV/Dirt bike trails (4)

• Other ideas included Skate Park (2),Dinner Train (2), Skating rink (2), Bowling Alley (3), Camp sites (2), Arts (2)

Park Resources in Owen County

County?

• Other considerations of parks and

• recreation included:

• Cleanliness (5)

• Land Trusts (2)

• Use of private land (3)

• Leveraging parks for placemaking and

• business development (2)

MYPath

Kyle gave an update on the MYPath Trail System and shared a map of where the trail is now. The plan is to connect to McCormick’s Creek State Park. Then, the trail will connect with a trail coming over from Flatwoods Park in Monroe County. The long-rage plan would eventually connect with trails reaching the Ohio River. Attendees were able to look at the map and share suggestions for routes through Owen County. The feedback prioritized respect for people’s property.

At the meeting convened at Owen Valley High School, participants were asked to list recreational assets in Owen County:

MYPath, Cooper Commons, Sports Complex, YMCA, Veterans Park, McCormick’s Creek SP, Greens Bluff, Tier 10, Owen-Putnam State Forest, Cataract Falls, Lieber State Recreation Area, Gosport Town Park, School Parks/Playground, White River – boat launches, Kids-playgrounds – outside, Timber Ridge – Kids camp, 4-H Programming

SURVEY

An opinion survey was created to collect public feedback on a variety of issues. While the Solution Sessions focused on three areas, the survey covered a broader territory. Participants were sought through social media channels and through an invitation card mailed to every household in Owen County. The card was also shared at the Solution Sessions. People unable to open the survey through the QR code were able to call the Foundation and answer the survey over the phone. Originally, the survey was open from January to the end of February to enable even more responses, the deadline was extended to March 15. A total of 165 people responded.

OWEN COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS

21,532 POPULATION

8,466 HOUSEHOLDS

9,833 HOUSING UNITS

68.6% OWNER OCCUPIED

60.2% RESIDENTS AGE 16+ IN WORKFORCE

$62,460 MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSHOLD INCOME

84.4% ADULTS HAVE H.S. DIPLOMAS/EQUIVALENT OR HIGHER

15.3% HAVE A 4-YEAR DEGREE OR HIGHER

88.7% HOUSEHOLDS HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS

78.8% HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BROADBAND INTERNET

55.2% STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN FREE OR REDUCED LUNCHES

14% RESIDENTS LIVING IN POVERTY

RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

35 - 44, 11% 65+, 30% 55 - 64, 21% 45 - 54, 17% 25 - 34, 8% AGE

18 - 24, 3%

GENDER IDENTITY

MALE, 43%

FEMALE, 50%

NON-BINARY, 1%

PREFER NOT TO ANSWER, 8%

BELOW $57,718, 10% ANNUAL HOUSE INCOME

$57,718 OR ABOVE, 64%

PREFER NOT TO ANSWER, 26%

WHITE, NON HISPANIC, 83%

PREFER NOT TO ANSWER, 14% RACE/ETHNICITY

NATIVE HAWAIIAN, 1%

ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN, 1%

“WHAT DO YOU DO IN OWEN COUNTY?” 86% LIVE 69% SHOP 54% PLAY 48% WORK

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

“HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN OWEN COUNTY?”

20+ YEARS, 54%

11 - 20 YEARS, 17%

4 - 10 YEARS, 7%

0 - 3 YEARS, 12%

I DO NOT LIVE IN OC, 10%

“HOW WILLING ARE YOU TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN MAKING YOUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE?”

VERY WILLING, 49%

MODERATELY WILLING, 35%

SLIGHTLY WILLING 8%

NOT AT ALL WILLING, 1%

PREFER NOT TO ANSWER, 8%

“WHICH TOWNSHIP DO YOU RESIDE IN?”

COMMUNITY ASSESTS

“PLEASE SELECT 5 ASSETS THAT YOU BELEIVE ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR A COMMUITY?” CLEAN ENVIRONMENT 90%

ADEQUATE PARKS & TRAILS 77%

TRUSTED COMMUNITY LEADER 74% ACCESS TO LOCAL NEWS 71%

STRONG K-12 EDUCATION 67%

COMMUNITY ISSUES

“WHAT ARE THE TOP 5 ISSUES FACING YOUR COMMUNITY?”

87% JOB OPPORTUNITIES 48% LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING 47% LACK OF INFO ON COMMUNITY RESOURCES 45% LACK OF ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET 44%

LACK OF LOCAL NEWS

COMMUNITY ISSUES

“WHAT ARE THE TOP NEEDS IN EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES?”

LOCAL TRAILS, 53%

NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUNDS 21% PARKS & RECREATION

AREA PARKS, 21%

OTHER, 6%

LOCAL NEWS

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS, 44%

INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENT MEETINGS 32%

DIRECTORY OF RESOURCES, 11%

OTHER, 10%

OBITUARIES, BIRTHS, WEDDINGS, 4%

EARLY CHILDCARE/EDUCATION

QUALITY EDUCATION, 36%

AFFORDABILITY, 24%

ACCESS TO CHILDCARE OPTIONS, 20%

FLEXIBLE HOURS OF CHILDCARE, 11%

NONE OF THE ABOVE, 8%

REVIEW AND ANALYSIS

After conducting the community solution sessions and collecting survey responses, OCCF staff analyzed results using the Qualtrics tools.

In June 2024, OCCF staff will facilitate a planning session at the annual OCCF Board and Committee Retreat, in which survey results will be presented and plans developed for reengaging with the community to share findings.

OCCF commits to hosting two public meetings to share our initial assessment findings and provide context and clarification. Questions and comments raised by community members and OCCF board and committee members will be integrated into the final report.

MOVING FORWARD

OCCF is committed to realigning our organization’s programs and initiatives using the results of the 2024 Community Needs Assessment. Using experience, expertise, and the information collected in the assessment, OCCF will make data-informed decisions to realign our organizational priorities and our resource deployment. We expect this information to guide our grantmaking, community outreach and public education efforts.

Additionally, OCCF seeks to empower other organizations to do the same and hopes to make comprehensive local data available to the public in 2025.

It is our goal to regularly convene local leaders who are already working to address the community’s reported priorities to promote collaborative work. This may include connecting regional and state leaders to local experts who are well-informed on the needs related to the top-reported issue areas.

From the beginning of this process, our board has hoped to use the information gathered for a large-scale initiative. This may be an investment in a special project or initiative that will address needs in the top-reported issue areas. While OCCF continues to explore options for this initiative, we invite others to support the good work already happening to address those needs. We hope to have additional information to share regarding this initiative by early 2025.