2023 SAG Award Winners

City of Tacoma, Washington and City of Tacoma, Washington

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Project Goal

In 2018, the City of Tacoma introduced the Equity Index, an interactive tool that visually highlights access to opportunity by mapping disparities across the city. It uses 32 data points sorted into five categories to determine where community members are not able to access services or where services do not meet community needs. It is one of the primary tools that City staff, partners, and other decision makers use to help ensure they are making data-informed decisions to improve access to opportunity for all community members.
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Business Problem Solved

The Equity Index helps identify and track disparities, supports data driven decision making, and increases transparency and accountability. There are many possibilities its use, from prioritizing investments to planning community engagement and programs. The Equity Index is one tool toolbox to help support equitable decision-making.
Here are just a few examples of problems the City of Tacoma has utilized the Equity Index to solve:
1. Where should the City’s prioritize the installation of new streetlights, taking safety and opportunity into account?
2. How can the Equity Index inform policy questions around affordable housing?
3. How can the City increase the use of potentially life-saving CPR through training and other language outreach?
4. How can the City equitably distribute small business loans and grants to the community?
5. Where should Tacoma Public Utilities prioritize installation of new meters to help conserve utility costs?
6. Where should more trees be added around

Technology Implemented

ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Web App Builder, ArcGIS Storymaps, Javascript API

Development Team Biography

Grace Brosnon: CTO
James Osundwa: Division Manager. Involved with GIS since 2002 including work at UN and Red Bull.
Christina Chelf: GIS Manager with 10+ years of experience. President of the WA GIS Assoc. and instructor for the UW GIS Cert Program.
Adriana Abramovich: Senior GIS Analyst supporting the Equity Index since its conception.
Chelsea Talbert: Organizer/strategist supporting the Equity Index, Tacoma Anchor Network, and Tacoma’s strategic planning.
Alicia Bradshaw: GIS Analyst with 8+ years of experience with a wide range of topics like brownfield redevelopment, stormwater, and transport.
Andy Simpson: GIS Principal Analyst with 23+ years of experience in power, telcom, wastewater, and water industries.
Vanessa Simpson: Senior technical GIS analyst with 20+ years of GIS experience in school districts, wastewater, and solid waste.
Shout-outs: Leah Clark, John Shell, Jason Hildreth, Steve Schunzel, Linda Hamlin, Bucoda Warren, Jacques Colon, Alison Beason and many ot