Our Process

Building trust with our data sharing partners is key to COH’s success.

COH has discovered the essential ingredients in maintaining the trust of our partners and creating exciting, useful maps.

Developing a legally effective model data sharing agreement, and a clear statement of COH’s “information practices.”
Establishing rigorous, consistent methods for assuring the accuracy and security of data, and for protecting individual privacy.
Creating a committee of outside experts to review our work.
Offering COH’s collective thoughts about the meaning of every map we produce.

Building a map is only part of the process. After COH’s maps are completed and reviewed by our board, they will be shared with the organizations involved in their creation and posted on our website for the community to view and use. COH will present completed mapping projects at our semiannual Summits, and seek input about new issue areas. COH’s most important goal is to promote action through policy improvement, organizational change, research, and community development.