Data You Can Use

🦸 REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!

Join us for Data Day 2026: The Power of Local Data, a full day of learning, connection, inspiration, and celebration with the people using data to create change in our communities.

📆 Wednesday, October 7th
⏰️ 8AM-4PM
📍 Discovery World Museum
🎟 FREE to attend; https://secure.qgiv.com/for/datayoucanuse/event/dataday2026thepoweroflocaldata/
🌐 Visit the Data Day Webpage: https://datayoucanuse.org/data-day-2026-2/

This year, Data Day is free to attend because we believe cost should never be a barrier to accessing resources, learning, or connecting with others who are working to create change. Donations are never required but always appreciated! If you're able, feel free to give back.

Space is limited, so don't wait! Let's harness the power of local data, together!

Our first CLA Convening was a success! 🎉

As part of the D.E.E.R. Accelerator (Driving Equity, Empowerment, and Resources), we brought together community partners to share projects, strengthen collaboration, and advance our collective work to improve data collection, reporting, and organizational data capacity.

During this inaugural convening, DYCU and WillBridge led partners through the development of logic models to connect long-term goals with actionable strategies focused on closing Milwaukee's life expectancy gap. 🙌

We were grateful to collaborate with organizations including United Community Center, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, and Rooted & Rising – Washington Park to root our plans in community experiences.

A special thank you to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for hosting us. We're excited to continue building stronger partnerships and using data to create healthier, more equitable communities

MKE Data Dive is coming up soon! Check out our guest speakers. 👀✨️

📆 Wednesday, August 5th
⏰️ 12-2pm
📍UW-Milwaukee Zilber College of Public Health
🎟 Reserve your spot now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/datayoucanuse/event/mkedatadive2/

This Data Dive showcases two organizations centering data in their efforts to respond to emergent community crises: flood response and infectious disease outbreaks. Attendees will walk away with practical insights on how to integrate data-driven decision making into the monitoring of ongoing community issues, like public health threats, or in rapid respose efforts for sudden crises, like environmental disasters.

💡 Infectious Disease Monitoring in Milwaukee County presented by Cait McCrory

💡 How maps directed flood recovery in Milwaukee County presented by Emmett Gross

Don't miss out on our upcoming MKE Data Dive! This time around we'll be exploring how to use data to inform emergency response efforts.

📆 Wednesday, August 5th
⏰️ 12PM-2PM
📍 UW-Milwaukee Zilber College of Public Health (5th floor)
🔗 Register Here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/datayoucanuse/event/mkedatadive2/

Infectious Disease Monitoring in Milwaukee County
Presented by Cait McCrory, Epidemiologist, City of Milwaukee Health Department

The Milwaukee Health Department conducts routine monitoring of many infectious diseases throughout Milwaukee County. This information is publicly available via a new communicable disease data dashboard and soon-to-be-released summary report that reviews the relevant changes in disease trends over time. During this presentation, audience members can expect to learn about both of these tools, how the Health Department uses the data in practice, and how this information is shared with partners across the County to address infectious disease spread.

How maps directed flood recovery in Milwaukee County
Presented by Emmet Gross, Homeownership Preservation Manager, Housing Resources Inc.

Following the August 2025 floods, Housing Resources Inc. used data to support recovery efforts by identifying flood-affected households and assessing their needs for mechanical replacements and temporary relocation assistance. By combining GIS mapping, homeowner data, and information from city and county agencies, the team streamlined outreach and improved the efficiency of recovery services. This presentation will demonstrate how data-driven decision-making enhanced disaster response and share practical approaches that can benefit future recovery efforts across the Milwaukee community.

Today is your LAST CHANCE to submit your Ignite Presenter application!!! 🗣 Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to showcase your research project to over 300 attendees.

🔗Apply Here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/datayoucanuse/event/mkedatadive2/
⏰️ Applications due at 11:59PM on 7/7

Questions? Email Amanda, [email protected]

Missed the initial deadline? No worries! We're extending applications for Ignite Presenters until Tuesday, July 5th. 💫

Become a vital part of our Data Day agenda and showcase your work for over 300 attendees. We're looking for passionate individuals to deliver five-minute Ignite Presentations on innovative data projects, research, tools, and community initiatives happening across Milwaukee. 🧰📊

🔗 Apply Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrPn1ZFyNF8VJKGYQKfGz9o7jDWPwn5g3nfqAV2wKoikOXjQ/viewform
❓️Questions? Email Amanda Beavin, [email protected]

Don't miss out! Our Data Dream and Ignite Presenter applications close TOMORROW, 6/30.

Ignite Presenters 🗣 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrPn1ZFyNF8VJKGYQKfGz9o7jDWPwn5g3nfqAV2wKoikOXjQ/viewform
Become a vital part of our Data Day agenda and showcase your work for over 300 attendees. We're looking for passionate individuals to deliver five-minute Ignite Presentations on innovative data projects, research, tools, and community initiatives happening across Milwaukee.

Data Dreams 🚀 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUt5_4ooaCCo4ep2iocBBWCuSnpbjbVjTJK0XjpVrAjefIwA/viewform
Help your organization thrive by applying for a Data Dream! The Data Dream Award helps Milwaukee-area nonprofits unlock that potential by providing approximately $10,000 in pro bono data services for a high-impact project. Data Dreams help organizations build the skills and systems needed to make informed decisions and deepen their impact.

Apply now!

Data You Can Use gives its warmest welcome to our summer Student Intern, Raisa Nafis! 🥳🎊🎉

As part of her internship, Raisa is working on updating and developing Neighborhood Health Profiles using publicly available health data.

She hopes to bring her expertise to better the Milwaukee community and wants to make a real impact. Welcome to the team!

Data You Can Use gives its warmest welcome to our summee Student Intern, Melanie (Mel) Hernandez! 🥳🎊🎉

We are thrilled to have her on our team for the summer. She brings an interest in life expectancy disparities across Milwaukee's ZIP codes and how spatial patterns reflect differences in health outcomes across communities.

She hopes to bring her expertise to better the Milwaukee community and hopes to make a real impact. Welcome to the team!

DYCU is in the news 🗣‼️

Have you ever wondered how DYCU's work positively affects Milwaukee? Or perhaps you're interested in learning what work we're doing to improve housing accessibility in Milwaukee? 🏠

Then you'll need to read the latest from the Housing Matters blog, presented by the Urban Institute, to read the "Four Ways Coordinated Data Can Expand Homeownership." 💪✨️

🔗 Read Here: https://housingmatters.urban.org/four-ways-coordinated-data-can-expand-homeownership

Thank you to our partner, the Community Development Alliance for being a champion in Milwaukee's housing ecosystem. ❤️🏘

Another thank you to the Urban Institute and the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership for creating this blog.