The Just Communities Blog
News and Updates from Our Team
ParkScore
The ParkScore® index by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) ranks the park systems of the 100 most populous U.S. cities based on five key categories: equity, access, investment, amenities, and acreage. This tool helps communities understand how well their parks serve residents and identifies areas needing improvement.
Neighborhood Atlas
The Neighborhood Atlas, developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is an online tool that provides detailed maps and data on neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage. It uses the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) to rank neighborhoods based on factors like income, education, employment, and housing quality, helping inform health delivery and policy decisions.
Social Vulnerability Index
The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a tool designed to identify and quantify communities experiencing social vulnerability. It uses demographic and socioeconomic factors to help public health officials and local planners prepare for and respond to emergencies, aiming to reduce human suffering, economic loss, and health inequities.
Power Mapping and Analysis
The "Power Mapping and Analysis" resource from The Commons Social Change Library is a comprehensive guide designed to help campaign teams visualize and analyze power dynamics related to their issues and campaigns. It provides a step-by-step process for creating a visual map of power holders and relationships, which can inform campaign strategies and identify key players to target.
Creative Placemaking Asset Mapping
The Asset Mapping Tool by LISC offers a detailed framework for communities to identify and leverage their existing assets and resources to foster sustainable development.
Asset-Based Community Development Toolkit
The Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Toolkit on the Community Research Collaborative website provides resources to enhance communities by building on their strengths and gifts.
What Does Antiracist Community Development Look Like in Practice?
An article from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that highlights that using an antiracist lens for community development along with specific actions by investors, government, and philanthropy can move the United States toward more racially just community development financing.
City of Chicago Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) Policy Plan
The Chicago eTOD Policy Plan outlines a comprehensive set of actions for the City to take to advance racial equity, wealth building, public health and climate resilience goals through equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD). Recommendations were informed through a cross-sector engagement process and analysis of City programs, and an evaluation framework focused on outcomes, equity, and implementation criteria. In partnership with Elevated Chicago, an eTOD Work Group was created to engage over 70 stakeholders representing numerous City departments, community-based organizations, the private sector, philanthropies, and regional non-profit and governmental partners.
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