Actions
groundwork
2

Preliminary Scoping

To assess a community’s interest in becoming a Just Community, preliminary assessment is necessary. This action provides guidance in identifying drivers for change, conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, and defining the geographic boundary of work.

Activities

Document the key drivers for the work

Using the Preliminary Scoping Template, answer the following questions:

  • What is prompting us to pursue Just Communities? (i.e., major development plans, policy changes, funding, etc.)
  • Who are we trying to benefit through this work?
  • Who has the interest and capacity to collaborate? (And likelihood to bring resources to the table)?
Conduct SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)

Using the Preliminary Scoping Template, answer the following questions:

  • What are the community’s primary strengths and opportunities today and anticipated in the future? Strengths are internal the community and specific to what makes it unique, while opportunities are external to the community such as policies, market forces, industry trends, etc.
  • What are the community’s primary weaknesses and threats today and anticipated in the future? Weaknesses are internal to the community while threats are external forces.

Further refine the SWOT by answering the following questions:

  • What are the most significant disparities and inequities (i.e., health outcomes, educational attainment, access to transportation, housing affordability) within the community? Who is most impacted?
  • What is the most significant climate change related risks within the community? Who is most impacted?

 

Set community boundary

Using the Preliminary Scoping Template, develop a proposed geographic boundary by answering the following questions:

  • Are their existing geographic boundaries that are helping to shape the proposed geographic scope of work (i.e., neighborhood association, business district, special purpose district, watershed, opportunity
    zone).
  • Are there important sites, landmarks, and historic events that are helping to influence the proposed geographic scope of our work (i.e., historic district)?
  • Are their significant development or infrastructure projects that are shaping the geographic scope of our work (i.e., brownfield site)?

Engagement

  • Conduct engagement and interview key organizational, business, and resident leaders and relevant public and elected officials to gather information and refine and corroborate the results.
  • Hold at least one community workshop to share preliminary findings and solicit feedback.
  • Solicit feedback through online surveys and post results.

Certification Templates

Certifciation Templates are only available for active APs and Certification candidates.

Resources

University of Kansas Center for Community Health and Development

Other Actions in This Phase

1

Convene Working Group

The process of launching a Just Community starts with bringing together local leaders who share a common vision and are committed to collaboration.
3

Listen & Heal

Many communities have endured significant trauma and harm from the cumulative impacts of unjust and racist land use polices and development practices.
4

Map Community Assets

Community asset mapping is a process of identifying a neighborhood’s most significant strengths, which can include physical, economic, cultural, and environmental resources, in addition to local traditions, history, and events that shape the neighborhood’s identity.
5

Summarize

To understand the potential pace of growth (or lack of) in a neighborhood, it is important to understand the underlying drivers of change from land use plans to proposed projects that could spark gentrification.
1
Previous: Convene
3
Next: Listen & Heal