Tools
Community Resources for Boards
BoardSourceSet of guides on everything for nonprofit boards, from how to take minutes to financial and fundraising issues.
The Impact of LIHTC in Massachusetts
Affordable Housing Rental A.C.T.I.O.N.Factsheet covers the positive impact of LIHTC in Massachusetts from 1986-2013
Free Management Library
Authencity ConsultingLibrary provides resources on management related topics including operations, fundraising, HR, communications etc.
Social Justice Communications Toolkit
Opportunity AgendaThis toolkit provides communications strategies for promoting equity and social justice
Beyond Confrontation: Community-Centered Policing Tools
PolicyLinkThis series of toolkits can help communities and law enforcement understand strategies to build mutual trust and respect, increase safety in communities, and minimize senseless killings and excessive use of force by police.
Creating Opportunities for Families Through Resident Services: A Practitioner's Manual
Enterprise, Freddie MacManual provides guidance on how to create and offer effective services for residents
MA Coalition Finder
The Community Health Training InstituteFind local coalitions working towards healthier communities in Massachusetts
CDC Community Health Improvement Navigator
Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTool provides examples of best practices for how health centers can engage in community improvement projects
2015 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria
EnterpriseCriteria required to become a certified green community from Enterprise
American Housing Survey
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentSurvey data collected by the U.S. government on housing
Preserving, Protecting and Expanding Affordable Housing
Change Lab SolutionsThe toolkit provides information on housing market trends and research on the links between rising housing costs and poor health outcomes.
Logic Model Workbook
Innovation NetworkStep-by-step guide explains how nonprofit organizations can develop a logic model for program evaluation
Housing Toolbox for Massachusetts Communities
Massachusetts Housing Partnership and CHAPAThis website explains strategies that local officials and volunteers can use to garner support for affordable housing
How Housing Matters
Urban Land Institute, MacArthur FoundationWebsite showcases research demonstrating the importance of affordable housing
Community Development Data Guidebook
Federal Reserve Bank of San FranciscoThis how-to guide explains community development data available, how it can be retrieved, and how it can be used
Assets & Opportunity Scorecard
Corporation for Enterprise DevelopmentCFED created an interactive state by state ranking of household financial security and policy solutions
The Poverty Primer
Tamarack- An Institute of Community EngagementThis booklet covers the essential elements of developing and sustaining a long-term, local effort to reduce poverty
Collective Impact Warm-Up Exercises for Meetings
Collective Impact ForumCompendium of warm-up exercises for group and community meetings
NonprofitReady
Cornerstone OnDemand FoundationThis website offers web based courses and resources on all aspects of non-profit management including development, marketing, and operations
Community Heart and Soul Field Guide
Orton Family FoundationGuide offers step-by-step instructions on how to engage and motivate residents to take an active role in shaping the future of their communities
The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog
Partnership for Sustainable CommunitiesOnline resource to help communities measure progress toward their sustainability goals
Child Opportunity Map
Diversity Data Kids and the Kirwan InstituteMap shows areas of opportunity for childred based on health, educational, social and economic indicators all over the United States
Ask Co-op Cathy
Cooperative Development InitiativeResource for answering any questions you may have on starting a co-op
Opportunity Index
Opportunity NationInteractive map of the United States showing how states and counties compare in terms of access to opportunity based on economic, education and community indicators
Beautiful Solutions
Ideas and strategies for building just, democratic, and resilient communities from all over the world. An initiative started because of Naomi Klein's book, This Changes Everything
Developing Your Persuasive Message
M+R Strategic ServicesThis tool provides a framework to help you or your organization craft a persuasive message to generate appeal for your efforts
Social Impact Calculator
Low Income Investment FundThis tool helps organizations put a dollar value on their impact including affordable housing, education initiatives and other community development programming
My Mass Mortgage
Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)CHAPA designed this website to help new homebuyers understand all the steps of the homebuying process in Massachusetts
Healthy Food Access Portal
PolicyLinkOur three organizations created this web information portal in 2013 to maximize the impact of these new opportunities and better support communities seeking to launch healthy food retail projects.
Fair Housing Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilThe Fair Housing Toolkit brings together available resources to help appointed and elected leaders, municipal planning, housing and development officials, developers, citizen board members, and other volunteers understand how to affirmatively further fair housing.
MicroMentor
MicroMentor.orgMicroMentor connects entrepreneurs and mentors to build small businesses together.
Open Platform to Build Applications
The GuardianWhether you want to reach wider audiences, engage users more deeply or develop innovative advertising campaigns we have a range of services that can accelerate your digital ambitions.
Interactive Mapping Software
PolicyMapAccess the PolicyMap online mapping application from any Web browser on any OS and immediately begin creating and saving your own custom, interactive maps.
Small Business Guide
CitiThese guides contain a wealth of information on starting and running your business and also include activities, worksheets, self-assessments, glossaries, and valuable additional resources for you to consult along the way.
Best Practice Resources
Field at the Aspen InstituteTo help practitioners - and the microenterprise field - move toward long-term growth and stability, FIELD has engaged in extensive research and developed a variety of resources.
microTracker
Field at the Aspen InstitutemicroTracker helps microenterprise programs, donors, and investors track the performance and client outcomes of microenterprise organizations nationwide.
Managing Neighborhood Change: Anti-Displacement Strategies Toolkit
Metropolitan Area Planning CouncilThis toolkit is based on a comprehensive literature review of academic and non-academic reports released over the last 10 years.
Staffing Tips and Tools
Local Initiatives Support CorporationA safety organizer or coordinator can be the glue needed to hold complex community safety partnerships together. These tools can help you structure this type of position and find the right person for the job.
LISC Library
Local Initiatives Support CorporationWe produce Case Studies, Guidebooks, Topical Reports, Research and Conference Papers, and Trade Articles that provide practical ideas as well as celebrate the success of the field.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Local Initiatives Support CorporationCrime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a methodology that directly addresses the relationship between the physical environment and the incidence of crime.