Why Cities?
By partnering with cities and local nonprofits to implement policies that directly improve wellness, the Bright Cities program brings positive health changes to city residents. Local governments provide services for their increasing populations at the intersection of neurotoxic exposure sources and policy solutions: water quality, air quality, food security, early childhood education, public health and many others. Local nonprofits know their communities and help tailor effective programs.
Today, cities are not only taking the lead in sustainability efforts, they are expanding what sustainability means in their communities and taking bold action. These cutting-edge actions involve protecting citizens’ health from environmental impacts, including toxic chemicals. The Bright Cities program provides needed resources for local governments and community-based nonprofits to achieve prioritized objectives.
About the Program
History
In 2016, HBBF launched the Bright Cities program and completed assessments with four cities: Seattle, Dearborn, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis. In 2017, these cities negotiated Bright Cities memoranda of understanding and began implementing Bright Cities activities. HBBF’s review of the program’s first year resulted in a streamlined and updated program for the second cohort of cities, which includes Missoula, Anchorage and Columbia. In 2018, these cities will negotiate a plan of action and begin implementation. HBBF is also now working with national organizations that have city and local nonprofit partnerships to provide resources to more cities more efficiently.
How It Works
In each community, HBBF identifies and partners with a local community-based nonprofit in addition to the city government to ensure the program is fully informed by local priorities, culture, and context and is fully integrated into the community. The program consists of recruitment, assessment and analysis, strategic and tactical development, and implementation. Informed by the early assessment work, each community commits to a set of actions in a negotiated, publicly supported agreement.
Resources
- Access to subject matter experts
- Policy and strategy support
- Small grants and fundraising assistance
- Fact sheets, talking points, draft policies
- Media support
- Cohort networking and best practices information
- Networking with allied local, state, national NGOs