The 2021 CAN Dashboard Report was published in August 2021. The community indicators report and accompanying website provide an overview of the social, health, educational and economic well-being of Travis County and the greater Austin area. For most of the 18 indicators that are tracked in the report, we present data that is from 2019 or 2020. Therefore, for the most part, this year's dashboard does not take into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic except for the following indicators: homelessness; voting; air quality and unemployment. Of these four indicators, only positive trend we saw was with "voter participation." We must keep a close eye on crime and health indicator data that was already trending in the wrong direction prior to the pandemic. Of course, the impact on outcomes in K-12 and post-secondary education will also be of great interest as we continue to grapple with the broad impact of the pandemic on learning in the near and long term.

To view the Dashboard Click Here.

To view the Race Equity Action Framework Click Here.

Click Here to read the full evictions report.

The report includes an attachment that addresses how we can use gardening to transform communities. 

Click Here to read the full evictions report.

The focus of CAN's work on language access in 2021 included the following: CAN Language Access Action Team (LAAT) has assisted CAN partners in revising language access policies/plans; CAN has developed the "WeCan ATX"website and a series of community engagement tools to help agencies improve language services and non-English speaking individuals access health and human services; CAN established the Central Texas Language Access Fund to secure resources to help providers better serve limited English proficient (LEP) clients and to help LEP individuals access resources and services.

To view the Language Access Initiative Project Status and Outcomes, Click Here. 

In December 2020, Central Health Equity Policy Council convened the Pandemic Equity Committee to assess health outcomes related to the pandemic and develop recommendations to help ensure that decision-making regarding the City’s preparedness, disaster response, and post-disaster community healing and recovery meaningfully accounts for disparities experienced by People of Color. After several months of assessment, dialogue, and deliberation, the Pandemic Equity Committee developed “recommendations for action,” released August 2021 which centers equity in the disaster preparation, response, and healing process. In 2022, the committee will be focused on the implementation of these recommendations.

Click Here to Read the Pandemic Equity Committee Memo to City Council

Click Here to view the Initiative Summary.

The 2021 Central Texas Regional Summit on Expanding Opportunity brought together leaders from across the five county Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan area to explore how we can “ensure an equitable economic recovery.” The November 5, 2021 summit at Typhoon Texas in Pflugerville included presentations on: “A Pathway to a More Inclusive Texas” by Steven Pedigo, University of Texas Professor of Practice LBJ School of Public Affairs; “A Spotlight on Central Texas” by Tamara Atkinson (CEO of WFS-CA) and Paul Fletcher (CEO of WFS-RCA); and a panel on public-private partnerships with panelists from Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Pflugerville CDC, and Austin Community College.

As a follow-up to the summit, CAN has been hosting "Expanding Opportunity Forums" to keep the focus on equity as we begin to focus on recovery from the pandemic. The next forum takes place on April 14 and will focus on the theme "Women and the Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery."

To find out more about the Regional Summit and Upcoming Expanding Opportunity Forums, click here.

The 2022 CAN Celebration "Together We CAN" was April 8th. We reflected on our accomplishments in 2021 and honored the 2022 Butler Award recipients. The Butler Awards, named in honor of CAN’s first Executive Director, Fred Butler, are awarded to an individual or collaboration that has worked to bring people, organizations, and groups together to collectively address community needs. The focus of the work of the individuals and/or collaborations being recognized must be upon issues that affect community well-being in Austin or Travis County and that further the mission and vision of Community Advancement Network. The following are the three categories of recognition: Spirit of Collaboration, Bridge Builder, and Community Leadership. A new award is being awarded this year, "Legacy of Impact."

Mission Capital

Ara Merjanian

Dr. Rosamaria Murillo

Richard Glenn Johnson Jr.

Sabine "BiNi" Coleman

Sherri Fleming

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