National research has made clear what many communities already know: challenges like housing, transportation, and overall affordability are deeply shaped by local conditions—and progress depends on shared understanding and coordinated action. That’s the purpose of Cobb Vital Signs.
Vital Signs is Cobb Community Foundation’s countywide research and collaboration initiative focused on producing accessible, community-engaged data and pairing it with ongoing opportunities for alignment and action. The goal is not just to identify needs, but to help nonprofits, businesses, funders, and local governments work from a shared set of facts and track change over time.
Because this work is central to how CCF supports long-term community solutions, we have strengthened leadership around it. Lisa-Ruth Karnes has been promoted to Director of Programs, a senior role that includes leading Cobb Vital Signs alongside oversight of our grantmaking strategy, partnerships, and evaluation efforts.
Lisa-Ruth brings experience in nonprofit program development, research, and community engagement, including organizational planning and research work with The Carter Center. Her promotion reflects our belief that initiatives like Vital Signs require focused leadership and sustained attention to learning and impact.
Through Vital Signs, CCF will share publicly available research, reports, presentations, and interactive tools—paired with convenings and resources that support collaboration across sectors. The initiative is being developed in partnership with Kennesaw State University, Neighborhood Nexus, and community stakeholders throughout Cobb County.
We look forward to sharing more about what we’re learning through Vital Signs—and how this work continues to evolve—in future newsletters.
Learn more about Cobb-Vital Signs here.
