Thriving Communities in a Time of Division: Measuring Community Connections

In our current national state of division and discourse, what makes a thriving community? Or another way of asking that question can be to ask what is missing in communities, as Robert Putnam did a quarter century ago. Robert Putnam identified decreasing civic participation in organizations, clubs, and public forums. He essentially warned about the decline in "connections among individuals – social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them." Putnam foresaw an erosion in trust and our social compact, what many of us know in planner’s jargon as “social capital.” If you haven’t recently picked up the book, it might be time to revisit "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community" for a full refresher.

Through their work with the Telosa Community Foundation, NNECAPA members Christa Daniels, PhD, AICP, and Carl Eppich, AICP, contributed to the development of a Community Connections Index (CCI) methodology. Here in Northern New England, we are known for our democratic participatory governments, gathering at town meetings at the local level. But few, if any, of our towns or cities measure community connectivity as a strategy to become more cohesive, resilient, and supportive environments for community building and to understand residents' participation levels. Assessing community connections is crucial to strengthening the many elements of a thriving community: social capital, equity, economic growth, educational attainment, health and well-being, arts and culture, community design, and governance.

In May, the Telosa Community Foundation with partner Polco, held a webinar and focus group for members of several chapters of the American Planning Association, including NNECAPA. Participants felt, and agreed, that there was a need for resources to measure and build community connections. Now the Telosa-Polco partnership has developed a new and extensive Guidebook and materials to help cities strengthen their community connections.

New Guidebook

Using feedback from the webinar and outreach to experts, the Telosa-Polco team developed a new Guidebook that is a practical, useful, and impactful tool for improving community bonds and social capital in cities. For example, the Guidebook includes more information on obtaining grants and sourcing funds for these projects, and we have expanded our definition of target areas to include small- and medium-sized towns in less metropolitan areas as well as larger urban areas.

The Guidebook includes the CCI tool that utilizes six categories to provide a framework for analysis, facets of a connected community: social belonging, equity and inclusion, civic participation, social engagement, strong institutions, and placemaking. Together, the tool and guidebook are intended to assist communities in assessing their current connectivity status and better understanding their areas of strength and those needing resources for improvement. The guidebook also provides information to help communities make significant strides in strengthening their connections. The Guidebook presents and draws on best practices and extensive data to help engage residents, improve community decision-making, develop new policies, access new funding sources, and evaluate success.

The team is currently considering incorporating a new feature, an AI component, to improve efficiency and utility. This is particularly important as many cities are increasingly facing constraints with limited resources. Community connections and social capital are essential to improving the quality of life for city residents and providing greater access to opportunity. Combined, they are key to creating vibrant, equitable, and resilient cities.

The Telosa Community Foundation - Polco team will roll out the Guidebook and methodology in September at a webinar featuring the new, free, easy-to-use tool to assess community connection. The intention is to help local governments, regional agencies, and residents make better decisions that empower cities to take concrete steps toward measurable improvements in strengthening their bonds, networks of reciprocity, and sense of inclusion and belonging. Come learn more about how you can make your community stronger, more inclusive, and equitable.

For more information, see City of Telosa or Polco.

We are currently developing a proposal for a session on the topic for the APA National Planning Conference in Denver next April.