The Lincoln and Marathon County Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Welcomeness Survey

WIPPS Research Partners recently released a report from a 2022 survey designed to gauge attitudes and perceptions toward diversity, inclusion, and community welcomeness in Lincoln and Marathon Counties.
During May to June, 2022, the survey was mailed to randomly selected households in the area and was also available online. Over 1,500 responses were received.

The topics of diversity, inclusion and welcomeness have been the focus of conversations nationwide, and Central Wisconsin is no exception. Despite these widespread discussions, community leaders, and organizations found a lack of concrete data and information on how residents of Lincoln and Marathon Counties feel about how welcoming their community is, as well as their personal attitudes toward people of different backgrounds. The survey was open to residents of Lincoln and Marathon Counties, ages 18 years and older, and responses were anonymous.

The study was conducted by WIPPS, a unit of the University of Wisconsin System. Funding was provided by Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., and the B.A. and Esther Greenheck Foundation. Key partners include the Aware and Active Citizen Group from Merrill and the Mosaic coalition from Marathon County.

A report of the findings can be found here.