St. Cloud, Minn. – The Central Minnesota Community Foundation along with several other partners released the results of the third Social Capital Survey today at the Community Pillars event. The Social Capital Survey were designed to measure responses in several areas including trust of others and awareness of opportunities to get connected in the community. It also reflects the willingness to reach out to others, whether you are a student, a long time resident or a relative newcomer.
Some of the key findings of this year’s survey include that overall trust in people has increased by 5% from 2004. However, overall trust in the national government has slipped further. The percentage of respondents who trust people of other races has increased and trusting those from Somalia is 17% higher this year than in 2010.
The first social capital survey was conducted in 2004 and was the baseline for the measurement of community connections. This second survey was conducted in 2010 and measured changes since 2004 in the community. With the third survey conducted in December 2015, the Foundation found that the community has improved its social capital. The results of the 2015 survey will help determine how and where the area’s social capital can be increased and if measures started in 2004 have improved the area’s connectedness.
Why Social Capital is important is because research shows that communities who have high social capital have a higher quality of life. The research supports that communities with high social capital have higher educational achievement, faster economic growth, less crime and violence, and more citizen involvement in government.
Times Media and the Central Minnesota Community Foundation are the co-sponsors of the survey. The other partners supporting the survey include St. Cloud State University, Morgan Family Foundation, CentraCare Health Foundation, Initiative Foundation and the United Way of Central Minnesota.
Steve Joul, president of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and CommunityGiving, says that with the changing demographics in the community since 2004, the data can yield particularly significant insight in how we can become more connected as a community. The act of strengthening ties between the residents of the community has shown to increase residents satisfaction overall within their community.
To review the three Social Capital Reports, visit https://www.communitygiving.org/foundations/central-minnesota-community-foundation/community-leadership/social-capital.
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF), an affiliate of CommunityGiving, is a public charity that attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1985, CMCF has grown to over $78 million in assets and awarded over $5.2 million in grants to local non-profits in 2015. CommunityGiving is a partnership of four community foundations including the Alexandria Area Community Foundation, the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and the Willmar Area Community Foundation. CommunityGiving administers more than 650 funds totaling more than $115 million. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org.
Social Capital Survey Measures Connections in the Community
February 26, 2016
Posted in News Release