Tools
Engagement for Equity
Health Resources in ActionHRiA offers a toolkit and playbook for government entities, community organizations and residents to address health inequities and advance equitable outcomes.
The 2024 Elections and Beyond: Fortifying Ourselves, Our Organizations, and Our Ecosystems
Building Movement ProjectElection cycles can be opportunities to deepen community engagement, sharpen narratives, and clarify organizational and movement values. As we head towards the November 2024 elections, how can we prepare ourselves as individuals and organizations to play the right roles, to respond quickly to unfolding events, and to buttress our connections and partnerships?
The Push and Pull: Declining Interest in Nonprofit Leadership
This report presents findings from BMP’s 2022 survey of more than 3,000 nonprofit staff on the factors related to their aspiration to top leadership roles, as well as the experiences of current nonprofit leaders.
Slides for Community Leadership 101
Francisco Ramos, NewVue CommunitiesWhether you are a community leader or work with community leaders, join us for this training! We will cover the basics of developing community leadership in an organizing and power-building context. We’ll cover organizing principles, the role of the community leader, turn-out, leader role modeling, and more. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the work, you’re invited to share your wisdom, stories, and questions. This training will kick of a series focused on community leadership. GOALS Create greater shared understanding of basic organizing/leadership concepts among CDC organizers and other interested folks Create peer learning opportunities across community leaders, organizers and possibly RSCs. Spark a longer ongoing process to help professionals accomplish their goals RE leadership development; identify further training topics Build direct skills for community leaders
Community Leadership 101
Francisco Ramos, NewVue Communities and Sarah Byrnes, RLA DirectorWhether you are a community leader or work with community leaders, join us for this training! We will cover the basics of developing community leadership in an organizing and power-building context. We’ll cover organizing principles, the role of the community leader, turn-out, leader role modeling, and more. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the work, you’re invited to share your wisdom, stories, and questions. This training will kick of a series focused on community leadership. GOALS Create greater shared understanding of basic organizing/leadership concepts among CDC organizers and other interested folks. Create peer learning opportunities across community leaders, organizers and possibly RSCs. Spark a longer ongoing process to help professionals accomplish their goals RE leadership development; identify further training topics Build direct skills for community leaders.
COVID-19 Community Impact Survey Webinar
MA Department of Public Health, Health Resources in ActionIn this video, representatives from Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Health Resources in Action, and the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey (CCIS) Regional TA Providers provide a brief background of the CCIS, what resources are available including technical assistance, and outline the process of engaging in technical assistance to transform data into action.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022
Thomas Ruffen, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Thomas Ruffen, member of the Mildred Hailey Tenants Organization in Boston, MA.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022
L'aura Jordan, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with L'aura Jordan, member of the Elm Terrace Tenants Organization in Greenfield, MA.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022
Sue Kirby, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Sue Kirby, the president of the Morency Tenants Organization in Salem, MA.
Doing Engagement from Home A Toolbox for Municipal Staff
MAPCDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Engagement Department of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) conducted extensive research on digital engagement tools and methods. This document includes many tools that municipal staff can use to engage the public remotely. This document is intended as a resource and does not constitute endorsement of any of these tools. MAPC does not use every tool in this list— for questions about individual tools, reach out to the tool’s Help or Support staff.
Hybrid Engagement Hub: Navigating Together
MAPC Community Engagement DivisionThis project hub is designed to be a central source of information to support you as you develop your approach to hybrid meetings, investigate tools, and design public participation at the local level.
Worforce Training Fund Express Program - Passive House and LEED certifications
BE+Any company is eligible for $30,000 of training per year through this grant application. There are many certification for building sustainability measures.
Commonwealth Workforce Training Fund Express Program
Workforce Training Fund50 courses approved to provide PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant training.
Highlights from Cool, Climate-safe Cities: New Solutions & Research
BU Institute for Sustainable EnergyWebinar Recording for Event
Impact of Climate Change on Health
National Institute for Health Care Management FoundationClimate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity and it is disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) special report. This infographic explains links between climate change and health.
Updated Toolkit: COVID-19 Booster Dose Messaging and Outreach Tools
Public Health Communications CollaborativeMillions of Americans are now eligible to get a COVID-19 booster dose. The following communications resources — including topline talking points, answers to tough questions, sample social media posts and graphics — can help you answer questions about COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and support your local vaccination outreach.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, August 2021
Sue Kirby, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing What makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Sue Kirby, the president of the Morency Tenants Organization in Salem, MA.
Organizing and Engagement Core Skills Toolkit
Mel King Institute, Rising Sun ConsultingThis toolkit was designed to support the professional growth of community organizers and community engagement staff. The toolkit was developed by and for organizers! Front line organizers helped identify the 6 competency areas and piloted the tools, offering feedback on content and format.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, August 2021
Judy O’Kulsky, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing What makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Judy O'Kulsky who is on the board of the newly elected local tenant organization in Belchertown, MA and also serves on the board of the Belchertown Housing Authority.
Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, August 2021
Carol Roberts, Public Housing ResidentFor residents of public housing What makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion, and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Carol Roberts, a long time board member of the local tenants organization in Caffrey Towers in Brockton, MA and also serves as a board member of the Brockton Housing Authority.
Creativity and Community Action
David M. Greenberg, LISCIn a new essay and workbook from David M. Greenberg, LISC's vice president for Knowledge Management and Strategy, practitioners are posed with two parallel questions: how can community development and activism enhance artistic and cultural work? And how can cultural practice community development and activism? Using paintings, poetry, and the work of artist-activists in Logan Square, Chicago, as “cases,” the resource helps enhance the reach, ambition, and impact of collaborations between artists and community organizations.
Climate Resilient Land Use Strategies
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilLand use regulations can be a powerful tool to provide climate resilience. From floodplain and wetlands restrictions, to tree protection and water conservation, to design standards and zoning, communities are using their regulatory authority to address the growing impacts of rainstorms, sea level rise, heat, and drought.
YW Boston’s 2021 Small Biz Map
YW BostonSupport businesses run by women and people of color in Greater Boston
Existing Buildings and Climate Change Resources
Boston Society for ArchitectureWe cannot meet our future goals without utilizing our greatest built and cultural assets: existing buildings. Below are some resources to support the industry as we forge ahead.
State Support for Local School Construction: Leveraging Equity and Diversity
Lauren Mittman, Nikhil De, and Philip TegelerHistorically, state support for suburban school construction facilitated white flight and metropolitan segregation. The least we can do today is think more carefully about the impacts of future school construction funding. PRRAC has prepared a policy brief on this question, based on a state-by-state survey of current practices.
Best Practices for RAD "Choice-Mobility" Implementation
Poverty & Race Research Action CouncilThe Rental Assistance Demonstration has become the most significant public housing redevelopment program in the U.S., bringing new funds to support aging properties around the country. One essential element of the program is that, after conversion, all tenants have a right to request a portable Housing Choice Voucher, and move to a community of their choice (thus opening up their apartment to another eligible family on the waiting list). Few housing authorities have worked out plans for implementation of this Choice-Mobility feature of the program, so we have developed a guidance document for PHAs and advocates, based on extensive policy research and interviews.
Fifty Years Of “The People v. HUD”
Poverty & Race research Action Council (PRRAC)HUD has benefited enormously from strong civil rights advocacy, and many of HUD’s most important regulatory guidelines have emerged from this advocacy. We offer this selected timeline as a tribute to this ongoing history and, we hope, an inspiration to a new generation of civil rights and tenant activists.
Arts & Planning Toolkit
MAPCThe Arts and Planning Toolkit has been given a reboot to become better aligned with the needs of municipal planners who are doing arts and culture-related work. Each page now follows a consistent outline of tools, resources, and examples to show how ideas may be put into action.
Opportunity360 Community Dashboard
EnterpriseOpportunity360 Community Dashboards provide the information necessary to determine where action is most needed and where established programs and policies have been most successful in any neighborhood in the country. These dashboards now allow data comparison for up to three census tracts, anywhere in the US. In the free Opportunity360 Community Dashboards, you will find over 150 indicators from 27 sources.
Housing Matters
Urban InstituteHousing Matters is an online resource for the most rigorous research and practical information on how a quality, stable, affordable home in a vibrant community contributes to individual and community success.
The Public Health Information Tool (PHIT) Walkthrough
Massachusetts Department of Public HealthA how-to for the use of the PHIT (below), and a guide on looking at publicly available data through a population health lens.
Population Health Information Tool (PHIT)
Massachusetts Department of Public HealthThe Population Health Information Tool (PHIT) is a data portal for Massachusetts health data. As a service of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, PHIT aims to provide data for a healthier Massachusetts.
Radical Imagination
Angela Glover Blackwell; Powered by PolicyLinkTo imagine radically, means to think big, demand better, and redefine the terms of the struggle; the Radical Imagination podcast delivers all that. The debut season confronts the challenging issues facing our nation, including immigration, the need for big new economic ideas, the impact of climate change, revolutionary approaches to community safety and justice, and more.
Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General Hospital and HMO Community Benefits Reports
MA Attorney General's Office (AGO)The Attorney General's Office (AGO) provides guidance on how non-profit hospitals and health plans should develop and report on the benefits and programs they provide to the public. The Attorney General's Community Benefits Guidelines gives expectations on how hospitals and HMOs should determine the health care needs of their communities, plan programs with their community partners, and report those activities to the AGO. This tool allows users to browse and search reports and to download report data.
The Move
Ceasar McDowell, Founder; Ayushi Roy, Podcast co-host; Misael Galdamez, Website Author; Julia Curbera, Website AuthorThe Move is a movement to rebuild our public’s muscle for democracy. This movement aims to bring together people of all backgrounds who are seeking to facilitate real civic engagement in today’s democracies. The Move rebuilds our public muscle in three ways: We will partner in the design and implementation of at least one civic engagement project each year. We will provide a collaborative learning and knowledge exchange platform on TheMove.MIT.edu and it’s adjacent social media channels for cities, institutions, and community organizations. We will advance learning, experimentation, and innovation in civic design using eight design principles.
Massachusetts Defense For Eviction (MADE): Self-Guided Eviction Help
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)This completely free guided interview is for Massachusetts tenants who are being evicted. It is estimated to take between 25 and 90 minutes for a typical tenant to use on their own. It will help you make sure that you respond to your landlord's eviction case correctly.
Boston Neighborhood Change Interactive Map
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard UniversityA new interactive mapping tool showing the dramatic demographic, social, and economic changes that have occurred in Greater Boston since 1990. The tool includes data from the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates for 2010 and 2016.
Prosperity Now Scorecard
Prosperity Now ScorecardA comprehensive resource for data on household financial health, racial economic inequality and policy recommendations to help put everyone in our country on a path to prosperity.
The National Equity Research Database, Boston Edition
Brandeis Institute for Child, Youth and Family PolicyThis is a database of 286 socio-economic indicators on a wide range of subjects, including demography, education, employment, health, housing, earnings and ancestry covering the Boston metropolitan area.
Building Blocks: Connecting People, Places and Policies
Enterprise Community PartnersA podcast for thought-provoking conversations about the current issues, trends, ideas and big questions facing the affordable housing and community development field in the United States.