In 2016, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) engaged Urbane in their continued efforts to reduce chronic illnesses in four communities – Franklin County, Hampshire County, Springfield and Fall River – through a unique lens for a public healthy entity: one viewed through economic development. Leveraging its expertise in small business development and healthy retail, Urbane worked alongside MDPH and the four communities, to better understand their current needs, strengths and opportunities, and to chart a course forward.
After a series of initial consultations, Urbane conducted a Preliminary Needs Assessment and quickly identified both site-specific and areas of shared concern, with a lack of consumer demand data and a lack of long-standing relationships with store owners quickly emerging as areas of opportunity for all. Urbane deployed a team of consultants for subsequent site visits, which included store visits and assessments, and further discussions to better understand the local context, as well as a group meeting of grantees from the Pioneer Valley to understand their shared interest around distribution. From these activities, the team created a matrix of short-, medium- and long-term action items, including suggested pathways forward for each community, and programmatic recommendations for the agency as it strives to create healthier, more vibrant communities throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
