community development

Collective Impact in the Lehigh Valley
October 10, 2017

For the Rider-Pool Foundation, the goal was simple: how could they use the ongoing economic development to spur movement for community development, as well?  

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Environment  / Equity  / Health  / Housing

Partnering with CDFIs: Catalysts for Sustainable Community Development
April 12, 2017

Roanoke, Virginia’s West End neighborhood was recently typified by high rates of crime, poverty, poor health outcomes, and financial insecurity. The Freedom First Credit Union decided to finance the city’s rejuvenation efforts to stabilize the most at-risk households in the neighborhood.

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Economy  / Equity

Three Ways to Invest in Banking Deserts
September 1, 2016

We have seen countless innovative and impactful programs rise up from the local level, whether it’s working to reduce health disparities or to improve food access. That’s often where the most meaningful work happens. Just take a look at the mobile food […]

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Economy  / Equity

Mapping Factors that Influence Social Mobility
July 5, 2016

For the U.S., creating one “land of opportunity” means building from the neighborhood on up.

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Economy  / Education  / Equity

Igniting a Movement: 100 Million Healthier Lives
February 23, 2016

From working collaboratively to forging new private-public partnerships, 100 Million Healthier Lives aims to accelerate the health improvements that can transform systems and societies.

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Equity  / Health

Data Viz of the Week: Are You Rural?
February 18, 2016

If you live in a very large or very small community you might have no difficulty answering the question “Are you rural”? But if you’re like many of us here on the Commons team, you live somewhere in between.

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Uncategorized

Creating A Best Place To Raise A Family
February 2, 2016

It was 1994-1995 when a group of civic leaders, under the name of Scranton Tomorrow, concluded it was time for a new way to approach the region’s future. Inspired by several other communities using a Healthier Communities process, they launched Forging the Future.

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Economy  / Environment  / Equity

Data Viz of the Week: Community Assets
December 23, 2015

Emerging research emphasizes the importance of identifying assets in a community and partnering with them to enhance community change efforts.

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Equity

Seven Ways GIS Enables Smart Communities
December 22, 2015

Leaders can leverage GIS to get a complete picture by viewing, mapping, sharing, analyzing, and acting on information about their community.

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Environment

Next stop: Fresh food
July 23, 2012

Shortly after the bus eased into its parking space outside the Lawndale Christian Health Center, Carolyn Peterson hurried on. But instead of seats for passengers, the bus — a rehabbed CTA 40-footer — was equipped with shelves and coolers of […]

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