LIHU'E — The Gannett Foundation recently awarded $6,540 to the Kaua'i Planning & Action Alliance to update a community indicators report, "Measuring What Matters for Kaua'i."

The original report gathered information about living on Kaua'i. Among things it noted were: Although Kaua'i's unemployment rate at that time was low, many workers had more than one job to make ends meet; and only 40 percent of Kaua'i families could afford a median-priced home ($640,000), down from 77 percent who could afford a median home in 2000.

The original study was published in 2007 and can be seen on KPAA's Web site, www.kauainet work.org. An updated report will be issued this year, the nonprofit organization said in a release.

"We are pleased our support will assist in identifying trends and opportunities for action by business, nonprofit and government decision-makers," Lee Webber, publisher of The Honolulu Advertiser, said in the release. The paper is owned by the Gannett Co. Inc. The Gannett Foundation is a charitable arm of the company.

Grants from Kaua'i County and Bank of Hawai'i Charitable Foundation also support the development of the indicators report.

The report focuses on seven areas important to life on Kaua'i: economic and business climate; public education; neighborhood and community well-being; civic engagement; natural environment; land use and rural character; and cultures and arts.

The Kaua'i Planning and Action Alliance is a membership organization of nonprofit and community-based groups, government agencies, business associations, businesses and individuals working toward solutions for Kaua'i issues.