An interactive map of Nebraska designed to assist leaders in decision-making now includes more data on children and families.

The Nebraska Community Opportunity Map is a public re-source aimed at giving policymakers, stakeholders and other leaders access to community data to assist in their decision making.

The map builds upon a national product of the Casey Family Programs, a foundation focused on reducing the need for foster care. Nebraska’s map goes beyond data from the U.S. Census, according to a Nebraska Children and Families Foundation news release.

“This was a great example of state and national partners coming together to increase access to timely, relevant, high-quality data,” said Catherine Brown, the Nebraska foundation’s associate vice president of research and evaluation. “We encourage everyone to use and share it.”

Citing the additions to the map in its Jan. 15 announcement, Casey Family Programs presented the Jim Casey Building Communities of Hope Award to Bring Up Nebraska, an initiative launched by Gov. Pete Ricketts along with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.

“We admire the work of Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and its partners in applying the power of technology to understand the unique needs of its communities,” said William C. Bell, Casey’s president and CEO.

The Bring Up Nebraska founders hope that the easily accessible data can help in its efforts to reduce the need for foster care by keeping the public informed.

The Nebraska Community Opportunity Map is a product of a year-long collaborative effort led by state agencies, nonprofits and the University of Nebraska’s Center for Public Affairs Research.