Cobb Community Foundation is previewing findings from Vital Signs, a countywide data initiative that will produce a public report on housing, transportation, food access, and social connection in fall 2026. East Cobb is among the geographic areas covered.
Lisa-Ruth Karnes, the foundation's director of programs, discussed early results on two recent podcast episodes promoted by CCF on Wednesday, July 22. The episodes aired on North Fulton Voices, hosted by Jack Murphy and Kathy Swahn, and Mind Your Mind Speaks, Season 6, Episode 10, hosted by Irene Barton, executive director of Cobb Collaborative.
According to the foundation's description of the conversations, Karnes discussed how workforce housing, caregiving burdens, and gaps in food access are interconnected issues shaping quality of life for Cobb County families. The Mind Your Mind Speaks episode focused on building shared understanding among nonprofits and community partners, and how Vital Signs data can serve as a practical tool for organizations.
What is Vital Signs?
Vital Signs is a partnership between Cobb Community Foundation, Neighborhood Nexus, and Kennesaw State University. The initiative launched in 2025 with 37 nonprofit and government leaders from 25 organizations helping shape the data-collection process, according to CCF's 2025 impact report.
It builds on Cobb County's 2019 Human Needs Assessment but aims to deliver ongoing, data-informed insights paired with community voices rather than a one-time study.
CCF President and CEO Shari Martin described the initiative's origins in a July 10 Cobb In Focus interview: "Before we ever started collecting information, we asked nonprofits, government agencies, and community leaders what they needed to know, who we should be talking to, and what questions we should be asking."
The full Vital Signs report, including heat maps and interactive data tools for nonprofits, funders, businesses, and government agencies, is scheduled for public release in fall 2026, according to the project timeline on CCF's website.
Scale and local relevance
The foundation stewards more than $40 million in charitable assets and distributed $6.5 million in grants and scholarships in 2025, according to CCF's impact report. Seventy-three percent of that funding stayed in Cobb County.
The foundation says the initiative is built to help nonprofits, donors, and civic groups target resources more precisely, whether they are faith organizations allocating benevolence funds or businesses choosing where to direct corporate giving.
Karnes also presented Vital Signs findings at the foundation's Activate Good community event in June 2026.
Residents and organizations can learn more at cobbfoundation.org/vital-signs. The full countywide report and heat maps are expected in fall 2026.
