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PAGE 17 involving people who don’t speak English equitably, must be built between and during community engagement activities. Quantitative Analysis and Qualitative Data Collection Informed by the aforementioned Foundational Steps, the JSI Project Team conducted quantitative analyses, collected primary qualitative data, and triangulated findings using existing community-based and regional reports. Early in the project, preliminary quantitative findings were produced and made public through the EACHSNA website. This informed the identification of priority populations, shaped the co- design of data collection instruments in concert with the EAPAC, and informed and involved community members in the Needs Assessment process. Next, the JSI Project Team used several qualitative methodologies to engage residents of the three cities including tabling at community events, conducting interviews and focus groups, and administering intercept interviews, which involves informally engaging available individuals in a brief conversation about needs assessment topics. It is important to note that the only primary data collection activity was qualitative. It is said that quantitative data (e.g., surveys) allow researcher to go an inch deep and a mile wide, while qualitative data (e.g., focus groups, interviews) go a mile deep and an inch wide. A qualitative methodological approach was selected to gain a more nuanced and contextualized understanding of the lived experience of community members (especially priority populations) and nonprofit organizations. In qualitative data collection, the focus is not on generalizability per se, meaning the goal is not to achieve a numeric indicator that is meant to be statistically representative of an entire community. Rather, the metric of quality for qualitative data is the extent to which saturation is achieved. Saturation means that across data collection activities, no new substantive information is arising. To achieve this, an iterative data collection approach was taken. This allowed periodic modification of data collection methodologies to ensure a diverse sample was engaged. To achieve saturation, methods were expanded to include individual service provider and intercept interviews. The resulting community-level challenges and opportunity areas and organization-level challenges and opportunity areas were identified then cross- checked with other regional reports to determine the extent to which existing data supported or added nuance to the emergent themes. Further, findings were presented to the EAPAC and Steering Committee in a series of joint meetings, where both groups offered rich context to emergent ideas and themes. Findings were also reported to nonprofit organizations, resulting in discussion about the prioritization of recommendations and their feasibility. Feedback from these activities resulted in the refinement of the theme and/or resulting recommendation. Quantitative Data CENSUS DATA The JSI Project Team drew on large amounts of secondary data to guide and contextualize this project. In particular, the team relied on data published by the US Census Bureau, which are comprehensive, systematic, standardized, and available at granular geographic levels (the lowest and most commonly used level of geography in this report is the census block group). These data offer insights into age, gender, race, income level, educational attainment, and more, providing a robust quantitative foundation for understanding the demographic and socioeconomic profile of the Tri-Valley and the needs of the communities. In addition to US Census Bureau data, data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the US Department of Agriculture were analyzed. A comprehensive list of all quantitative data and census block groups can be requested from the contact in Appendix 3. To standardize geographic analysis, a unique geography called “Tri-Valley” was created and used across most of the tables, charts, and maps that appear in this report. This geography is a set of the most densely populated census block groups within the larger geographic region known as the Livermore- Pleasanton Census County Division (CCD). Both the EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENTSS Page 75 of 554