Exploring the Latest Data Updates: PolicyMap’s Summer 2024 Enhancements

This summer, PolicyMap rolled out an exciting array of new datasets and data updates. Explore the latest datasets that uncover hidden disparities, highlight at-risk populations, and power more informed, impactful decision-making. Dig deeper with PolicyMap and see how some of our new indicators can enhance your work!

Environmental Justice

PolicyMap supports environmental justice efforts by allowing users to better understand and visualize how environmental and climate conditions impact historically vulnerable populations. Users can explore data like the 30+ indicators from the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), which helps guide the strategic allocation of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grants to historically disadvantaged communities. Or leverage FEMA’s National Risk Index (NRI) to assess the economic impact on regions and communities affected by hurricanes and floods. The NRI empowers users to develop targeted interventions for populations most at risk from climate-related disasters, driving more informed and effective environmental justice strategies.

• An additional 30+ indicators from the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) are *NEW* on PolicyMap! The new indicators provide further information on the specific criteria that determine disadvantaged status for each of the eight categories of burden.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) & Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Environmental Justice Index is *NEW* and now available on PolicyMap.
• EPA’s Environmental Justice Mapping and Screening Tool (EJScreen) has been updated to 2024 on PolicyMap. EJScreen was developed by the EPA to help identify areas with potential environmental justice concerns.
• FEMA’s National Risk Index (NRI) is *NEW* on PolicyMap.

Health and Social Determinants of Health

New health and social determinants of health (SDOH) indicators on PolicyMap provide valuable insights for a wide range of users. Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) help identify regions with significant healthcare gaps, enabling targeted interventions in underserved communities. For a more comprehensive view of patient populations, users can go beyond health data by incorporating SDOH indicators. For example, HUD homelessness data allows users to analyze the impact of non-health factors like homelessness on health outcomes, while Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap dataset supports efforts to address food insecurity in vulnerable areas. Layering health and SDOH datasets provides a holistic view, informing effective healthcare and community-based solutions.

• The updated Theil Index is now on PolicyMap. The Theil Index measures racial segregation by calculating how evenly people of all races are concentrated across an area based on the racial composition of sub-areas.
• CMS Chronic Conditions data is updated, adding new data for 2019-2021 and includes two additional indicators (i.e., Alcohol Use Disorder and Drug Use Disorder) that were previously not being displayed.
• The HUD homelessness data has been updated to 2023. This data shows homeless estimates as captured in a single point-in-time count.
• CDC Cancer Incidence data has been updated for the latest 2016-2020 and 2017-2021 time periods. The data is available by cancer type and race/ethnicity.
• The MapMealGap dataset from Feeding America is updated to 2022 on PolicyMap. A new indicator has been added called Food Insecure Persons Not Eligible for SNAP.
• Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) is now updated on PolicyMap for 2024.

Program Eligibility – Tax, Loan, Grants

New indicators on PolicyMap help banks and financial institutions assess eligibility for federal programs and meet regulatory obligations. For banks aiming to fulfill their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements, PolicyMap provides insights into underserved areas, such as regions lacking bank branches, allowing for more informed investment and service expansion decisions. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) can leverage PolicyMap to complete New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) applications and confirm compliance by ensuring that a required percentage of their investments are in designated CDFI investment areas. Additionally, credit unions can use PolicyMap to apply for CDFI certification, facilitate service area expansions, and select new branch locations, enhancing their ability to serve communities in need.

• Indicators for CRA Eligibility and Tract Median Family Income (MFI) as a % of Metro Area Median Income which come from FFIEC and are used for the CRA program have been updated in PolicyMap to 2024. This update accounts for the 2022 Connecticut County boundary changes and 2023 Metro Area and Metro Division boundary changes which affect the Tract MFI % calculation.
• Census ACS Low Mod has been updated to 2018-2022.
• The New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) investments have been updated for the 2013-2017 and the 2018-2022 time periods. We expanded the number of indicators to cover a broader range of investment purposes.
• The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Community Development Entities locations have been updated through 2022.
• Distressed Area data from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has been updated to 2025.
• The CDFI Fund’s New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Eligibility has been updated to include “Deep Distress” census tracts and “Deep Distress” tract criteria. “Deep Distress” census tracts are those that meet basic NMTC eligibility and have either AMI <= 40% state/metro area AMI, poverty rate >= 40%, or unemployment >= 2.5x national rate.