Healthy Active Communities chose to advance educational approaches to healthy housing over regulatory ones that might deter production of multifamily rental housing.
This document offers a range of insights that challenge business as usual, and explores lessons learned about investing in healthy community change to help funders of all sizes leverage their investments, achieve their goals and sustain their results.
The Fun ’n FITchburg (FnF) initiative capitalized on Fitchburg’s diversity by creating the 50-member Community Mobilization Network.
While remaining consistent with its mission, the Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC) in Nash-Edgecombe Counties, NC shifted and broadened the frame of its work from educational and social supports for young children and their families to a healthy communities frame. It utilized established networks and approaches to introduce new ideas about healthy policy and environmental changes, carefully assessed readiness for change among partners, and showed people how they could take the work and do it in their own environments.
Kane County, IL branded its integrated suite of health-oriented long range plans “Quality of Kane”, and used terms such as “promise”, “prosperity”, “quality of life” and “for everyone”.
Rochester, NY’s Healthy Kids initiative was shaped by collaborative strategic planning and used proactive, sustained strategic communication to advance its policy campaigns.
Partners in the KEYS for Healthy Kids (KEYS) initiative in Charleston, WV conducted a variety of assessment activities that ultimately built a deeper understanding of health issues among community members and leaders, sparked a public dialogue about obesity beyond it solely being a “medical” concern, and developed new skills and confidence among youth.
Through a diverse array of assessment projects and deployment of ten “promotoras”, Denver’s HKHC partnership was able to train emerging resident leaders, build new networks of relationships, increase meeting attendance and participation, and unearth new problem-solving methods.
In the community of Woodruff in Spartanburg County, SC, the departure of an important champion in City government and subsequent dynamics made it difficult to get agreements from all the property owners along a proposed and popular greenway project, and forced the return of an important grant.
The Buffalo HKHC partnership has used a variety of methods to strengthen its relationships with City staff and community members. These relationships have boosted participation in the local Complete Streets Coalition and Food Policy Council; and improved policy implementation.