The American Planning Association’s National Planning Awards honor planning efforts, initiatives, and individuals working to make communities of lasting value for all. Award recipients are celebrated annually at APA’s National Planning Conference during a special luncheon. This represents another opportunity for Age- and Dementia Friendly Community work to be recognized!
Tag Archives: community design
MassDOT Announces State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack recently joined Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, members of the Massachusetts Legislature, local officials, and transportation advocates at a groundbreaking event in Natick to release the State Bicycle Transportation Plan and State Pedestrian Transportation Plan and to celebrate the start of construction on the latest segment of the Cochituate Rail Trail.
Access the full Bicycle Plan and the full Pedestrian Plan. Continue reading
AARP Community Challenge Announces National and Local Grantees
AARP announced the awardees for its 2019 AARP Community Challenge grant program, including four recipients right here in Massachusetts.
Nationally, a total of nearly $1.6 million will be distributed to fund 159 “quick action” projects across the country, helping communities make immediate improvements and jumpstart long-term progress to support residents of all ages. Nearly 1,700 applications were received from non-profits and government entities for the program, now in its third year. Each of the projects, which must be completed by November 4, is designed to achieve one or more of the following outcomes: Continue reading
MAPC Releases MetroCommon Provisional Goals and Mini-Grant Opportunity
MetroCommon 2050 is Greater Boston’s next long-range plan, and it’s under development now led by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). Fresh off of a months-long public process to understand the future residents want for the region, including an input session with the Healthy Aging Collaborative Advisory Council, MAPC is sharing the goals that emerged from that work. Continue reading
New Report From Grantmakers In Aging Explores How 25 Countries Support Aging in Community
The desire to remain in our homes and communities as we age is nearly universal, and good ideas have no borders. As the world’s population gets permanently older, there is a growing need for safe, supportive housing and housing-related services and arrangements to promote health, prevent injury, delay the need for institutional care, reduce social isolation, and build intergenerational connection and stronger families and communities. Continue reading
Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MetroCommon 2050 Outreach Mini-Grant Program
At a previous meeting of the Healthy Aging Collaborative’s Advisory Council, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) presented background on the Greater Boston region’s long-range plan, called MetroCommon 2050. MAPC then ran a special listening session and small group discussion to gather feedback from healthy aging stakeholders on the plan.
Now, MAPC is accepting applications for the MetroCommon 2050 Outreach Mini-Grant Program and will be awarding the mini-grants on a rolling basis until December 2020 for outreach projects to be completed between now and Spring 2021. Continue reading
AARP Releases Age-Friendly Community Engagement Tool
Using Cities of Service’s citizen engagement model and experience helping mayors work with residents to solve problems, as well as AARP’s age-friendly-communities model and experience working with communities and volunteers, this free booklet offers examples of effective strategies, initiatives and programs employed by mayors in towns and cities throughout the United States. Continue reading
American Planning Association Announces Call for “Great Places” Recognition
According to the American Planning Association (APA), a “Great Place” in your community demonstrates the importance of planning, provides an opportunity for promotion and tourism, and illustrates how local policies and projects strengthen our communities.
These “Great Places” often highlight Age-Friendly activities and the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages communities to make a suggestion online to the APA by April 17 if their city, town or neighborhood meets the criteria. Last year, Lowell’s Canalway Cultural District and the Village of Shelburne Falls made the 2018 list from Massachusetts.
AARP Offers Data and Age-Friendly Guidance for Rural Areas
Armed with reports like the Housing Assistance Council’s “Housing an Aging Rural America: Rural Seniors and Their Homes,”as well as a collaboration with the LOR Foundation, AARP published an extensive article on resources and examples of healthy aging and Age-Friendly Communities in rural areas. Continue reading
Baker-Polito Administration Announces $3 Million in Complete Streets Funding Program Awards
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito joined Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, elected officials, and local leaders in Quincy to announce awards totaling nearly $3 million to eleven communities through the Complete Streets Funding Program.
These awards will be used to fund local, multimodal infrastructure projects that improve accessibility for bicyclists, pedestrians, public transit users, and people using other forms of transportation. In doing so, the Complete Streets program helps communities become more Age-Friendly (Complete Streets are highlighted in the AARP “Roadmap to Livability” Resource on Transportation). Continue reading