This resource was developed by one of the CHSC grantees and is universally useful even though it was developed with small upstate communities in mind. It contains several 1-2 page checklist style street and sidewalk assessments as well as action planning tools.
Setting Type: Rural
Community audit tool to assess rural built environments: Inventories for Community Health Assessment in Rural Towns
A new assessment tool for assessing the rural built environment (iCHART) looks at community design, transportation infrastructure, safety, aesthetics, and recreational facilities. The tool was tested in 5 rural communities, including 2 in New York.
Eastern Highlands Health District Toolkit
In 2015, in partnership with the Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association (CCAPA), EHHD was awarded a Plan4Health grant by the American Planning Association (APA) and the American Public Health Association (APHA). The focus of this grant is to support EHHD/CCAPA efforts to increase physical activity and access to healthy foods in the region’s towns by helping them link their planning and public health programs with a focus on healthier communities. This toolkit is designed to support the EHHD region towns, as well as any other small, rural towns, in these efforts. The EHHD and its CHART Coalition are actively working to help their communities create places where residents will have more opportunities to be physically active, eat healthy foods, and have fun!
Complete Streets Implementation Complete Streets Policy Healthy Food Environment
Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks
This document is intended to be a resource for transportation practitioners in small towns and rural communities. It applies existing national design guidelines in a rural setting and highlights small town and rural case studies. It addresses challenges specific to rural areas, recognizes how many rural roadways are operating today, and focuses on opportunities to make incremental improvements despite the geographic, fiscal, and other challenges that many rural communities face.
Small Town and Rural Design Guide
This online design resource and idea book is intended to help small towns and rural communities support safe, comfortable, and active travel for people of all ages and abilities.
Multimodal Strategies for Rural/Small Town Areas
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently released a resource for transportation practitioners in small towns and rural communities titled “Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks.” It applies existing national design guidelines to rural settings and highlights small town and rural case studies. Challenges specific to rural communities are addressed and focus on opportunities to make incremental improvements despite these geographic, fiscal, and other challenges.
Active transportation Complete Streets Implementation Complete Streets Policy
Rural Community Profiles: Stories about Improving Nutrition, Increasing Physical Activity, and Making School Healthier
Rural communities across the country have implemented innovative strategies to help residents eat well, be physically active, and make schools healthier places for their children. These handouts highlight stories from rural communities that have used local assets to promote health.
MyPlate food donation guidelines
Nutritious food drive donation suggestions, using the MyPlate model: MyPlate Food Drive Flyer
Food Drive Suggestions
Nutritious food drive donation suggestions: FBCNY Food Drive Nutritious Suggestions
Long Island Cares Healthy Shelf Initiative
Three PDFs provide tools for healthy food donations: a volunteer pull sheet, a food drive flyer, and healthy shelf signage