2009 ROCK FO RD COM MUN IT Y PO VER TY

RED UCT IO N SU RVE Y

The Rockford Horizons Leadership Team, comprised of your

Rockford neighbors, is beginning to prepare a strategic action plan to
reduce poverty through the year 2012. (This is the third and final
development step in our 18-month long Horizons* community
leadership project which began in September 2008). The first step is to
survey residents and community members to see what they feel are
the most important and promising strategies to adopt. The next,
second step will be to hold two community meetings (June 23 & 30 at
6:00pm at the Harvest Moon) to gather additional public input and
to write the action plan. Please plan on attending and bring
friends/neighbors!
Today, we’d like to invite you to take the following survey. All
answers are strictly confidential! All input will help us shape the above
mentioned Action Plan! Your input is very important and all ideas will
be considered in plan development.
This survey is organized around three guiding poverty reduction
goals identified by our funder, the Northwest Area Foundation. They
include: increased individual assets/wealth among low income people,
increased community capacity to achieve sustainable prosperity, and
improved public policy solutions to reduce poverty.

Let’s start with a little information about you:

1. How many years have you lived in the community? ________

2. Please indicate your gender and age: Male _____ Female

_____
<18____ 18-24 ____ 25-34 ____ 35-44 ____ 45-54 ____ 55-64 ____ 65+
_____

3. Would you describe Rockford as a place where people mostly help one
another or a place where people mostly go their own way? Help one another
_____ Go their own way ____
 4. Please identify your ethnic background: Caucasian/White _____ Mexican
American ____
Native American/Indian ____ Asian American _____ Latino/Hispanic
_____
Other (please specify)________________________________

*Horizons is a project of the Northwest Area Foundation managed through Washington State
University Extension. For more information contact community coach Patrick Malone at
509.279.5107 or pmalone.horizons@live.com.
5. Please check, and rate, the following activities/strategies which you believe
are “ important” to reducing poverty in Rockford by the year 2012 (please
mark all that apply):
Very Important Important
Somewhat Important Not Important
Increased Individual Assets:
• Increase financial literacy/education _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote earned income tax credit _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote individual development accounts _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote home repair/energy savings _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote banking and savings _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote homeownership _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote self-employment _____ _____ _____
_ ____
• Promote micro-enterprise _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote reduced health care costs _____ _____ _____
_____

Increased Community Capacity:

• Improve community leadership skills _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote job expansion _____ _____ _____
_____
• Recruit new businesses _____ _____ _____
_____
• Start a “Buy Local” campaign _____ _____ _____
_____
• Reduce crime _____ _____
_____ _____
• Reduce drugs/alcohol/tobacco use _____ _____ _____
_____
• Create a buying cooperative _____ _____ _____
_____
 • Expand workforce training _____ _____ _____
_____
• Create a youth jobs mentoring program _____ _____ _____
_____
• Improve community communication _____ _____ _____
_____
• Start a community center _____ _____ _____
_____
• Start an entrepreneurship program _____ _____ _____
_____
• Increase tourism _____ _____
_____ _____
• Improve fixed income transportation _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote community recreation _____ _____ _____
_____

Improved Public Policy:

• Increase funding for early, childhood ed ______ ______ ______
_____
• Enact a living wage ordinance ______ ______ ______
_____
• Enact first source hiring agreements ______ _____ _____
_____
• Lower taxes for business start-ups _____ ______ _____
_____
• Revise tax structure _____ ______ _____
_____
• Better fund economic development efforts _____ _____ _____
_____
• Promote renewable energy _____ _____ _____
_____

6. What ONE project, activity or strategy do you think the Rockford area should
undertake to most reduce poverty and promote community prosperity?
Explain:
_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________