NNIP Selects Noah Urban from Data Driven Detroit as the Network Steward of the Year

The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership has selected Noah Urban, Co-Executive Director of Data Driven Detroit, as the 2022 winner of the Network Steward of the Year Award. The award was created in 2016 to recognize an NNIP Partner staff member who goes above and beyond expectations to strengthen the connectivity among Partners, increase knowledge sharing, and raise the profile of the network. 

Noah is generous in sharing materials and lessons from Data Driven Detroit's local work in Detroit with other partners, whether on topical analysis, organizational strategy, or web development.  Most recently he provided thought partnership to Grand Rapids on the 2020 census and shared their guiding principles with the network and examples of work on the digital divide with the Washington DC partner.  He also has taken time to represent NNIP to external groups, ranging from near-to-home at the Michigan Municipal League all the way to speaking to a Japanese nonprofit support organization. In addition, he encourages his staff to engage with NNIP's activities and peer learning.

Beyond support to individual partners, Urban Institute as coordinator of NNIP relies on Noah's insights to strengthen the broader network.  This year, he reviewed our Robert Wood Johnson Call for Proposals for addressing community conditions shaped by structural racism, ensuring the call was understandable and responsive to local needs.  He also served on the NNIP Executive Committee for an extended term of four years from 2017-2020, guiding the direction and planning activities for the network.  Urban Institute consults frequently with Noah about connections to national funders and other related organizations. Noah's dedication and generosity over the years have helped both NNIP and its partners improve our practice to ensure all communities have access to data and the skills to use information to advance equity and well-being across neighborhoods.