Drew Wilson
The Florida Chamber Foundation on Monday launched an updated version of the Florida Gap Map, which allows users to view dozens of economic and demographic data points down to the ZIP code level.
The Florida Gap Map, produced in partnership with the Florida Prosperity Project Advisory Board and the Florida Business Alliance for Early Learning Project Advisory Board, first launched in 2020 as a way for the Chamber and its members to focus their efforts to cut the childhood poverty rate in half by 2030.
At launch, it was the nation’s first tool to identify concentrations of childhood poverty at the ZIP code level and third-grade reading proficiency at the school level.
The new iteration still includes those data and introduces several other metrics, such as the percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in prekindergarten programs, monthly housing costs for homeowners and renters and the percentage of single-parent households. Each metric can be viewed at the state, county and ZIP code level.
“Currently, 773,801 (one in five) of Florida’s children are living in poverty and 53% of Florida’s third graders are reading at or above grade level,” Florida Chamber Foundation President Mark Wilson said in a news release. “Using the insights and analysis provided by the Florida Gap Map, Florida’s business leaders have the opportunity to radically change how we address systemic inequalities and ensure every child in Florida truly has an equal opportunity at earned success.”
The Florida Chamber said each of the metrics included in the updated Florida Gap Map will help users — be they businesses, nonprofits, local governments, individuals or others — focus their efforts on initiatives and programs that address the top needs for the children and families in their local communities.
“The new Gap Map changes the game for America,” said Kyle Baltuch, the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Equality of Opportunity. “When city councils, county commissions, local chambers of commerce, United Ways, Boys and Girls Clubs, local school boards, and others address challenges with the same information and understanding, we can effectively align philanthropic business and government resources around localized solutions, enabling long-term, sustainable prosperity in zip codes where it otherwise wouldn’t occur.”
Interested parties can email [email protected] for more information on the Florida Gap Map, such as how it can be used to effect change in local communities or to set up a custom demonstration.
