 Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and with funding from Lumina Foundation, releases Business at the Table: The Employer Drive for Higher Education Attainment. This collection of case studies was created during the Business at the Table initiative to develop strategies for improving U.S. higher education attainment (degrees and credentials) through chamber of commerce and business involvement.
This compendium of case studies provides business and chamber leaders the perspective to further Lumina’s Goal 2025: to increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. Included are programs led by chambers of commerce, two-year and four-year colleges and universities, and national and local higher education achievement programs. Interviews were conducted with the CEO or director of each program, providing personal accounts of trials and victories on the road to success. Case studies explore the history of the program or organization, key players, geographic context, specific place-based economic challenges that were overcome, and the short and long-term goals that have been achieved.
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Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) releases Arts Organizations and Public Health, a guide to creating partnerships between art and health organizations. This primer was designed for the arts organization that wishes to initiate programming focused on local health issues, or create partnerships with health groups in order to best meet the needs of the community. Arts Organizations and Public Health identifies best practices of diverse arts organizations from around the United States to inform this work. The best practices can be used as references, and are cited throughout the publication to correlate with text.
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A Report from Partners for Livable Communities
Funded by MetLife Foundation
Stories for Change, a report by Partners for Livable Communities funded by MetLife Foundation, offers leadership examples that expand the arts to new audiences. This compendium of nearly 50 best practices showcases the notable strategies that increase access to arts and culture for older adult and immigrant populations.
Change, which describes the innovative programs of arts organizations in six major American cities. It shows that arts and culture are as essential to sustaining communities as bricks and mortar.
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More than a decade since the release the innovative original, Partners for Livable Communities announces the release of the second edition of its Community Empowerment Manual (preview copy). Expanded and reorganized by former staff member, Carly Grimm, the new edition builds on the tried-and-true approaches to community development showcased in the original, and invigorates the document with new case studies and a new section that helps readers better understand the challenges to livability—aging population, deteriorating infrastructure, and declining local economies—that exist in American communities.
The first edition of the manual was published in 1999, and was the culmination of four years of work and collaboration with communities across the United States and Europe, with support from Bank of America, the Healy foundation, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was met with great success and featured in Governing Magazine.
The new edition could not come at a better time, as more communities are facing fiscal constraints. To maximize assets over the next decade, communities will need to be more self-sufficient, and the Community Empowerment Manual, with its focus on making the most of community resources, is a valuable tool for pursing livability from a local level.
More than just a primer on livability, the Community Empowerment Manual is a workbook for community development that educates readers about leadership strategies, effective collaboration, creating regional partnerships, and developing and realizing a vision. The Community Empowerment Manual is a valuable guide for:
- Citizens—both those currently engaged and those frustrated by lack of action
- Local government officials
- Community organizers
- Civic leaders
- Non-profits and NGOs
- Business organizations
- Social agencies
- Educational and cultural institutions
Free preview here.
Purchase Print Edition
($15, available in orders of 10)
The Maturing of America—Communities Moving Forward for an Aging Population was co-released in June 2011 by: National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, MetLife Foundation, International City/County Management Association, American Planning Association, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, and Partners for Livable Communities.
Due to the financial consequences from the Great Recession, many US communities have been unable to make significant progress in preparing to meet the needs of the country’s rapidly aging population. The Maturing of America—Communities Moving Forward for an Aging Population, a follow-up to an extensive survey conducted in 2005, reveals that at best, communities have managed to maintain the status quo for the past six years due to the decline in the overall economy and local government budgets. This report, funded by MetLife Foundation, also reveals that, despite the challenges, important advances have been made including increase in specialized training for emergency and public safety staff in dealing with older adults; growth of in-home supportive services; greater support for advanced education for the workforce; and expanded volunteer opportunities. Even so, with millions of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, these advancements are nowhere near the level of progress needed to ensure that communities are livable for people of all ages.
Click Here for the Maturing of America II Executive Summary
Click Here for the Maturing of America II Full Report
Culture Connects All, a benchmark report by Partners for Livable communities funded by MetLife Foundation, offers new audience-building opportunities for arts and cultural organizations to engage two of America’s fastest growing populations: immigrant and older adult populations.
The 2010 census confirms what many have observed over the past decade—the population is growing older, and in many areas more diverse. And this change is happening across the face of the nation. Two rapidly expanding population groups present a timely opportunity for communities and their arts and cultural institutions to rethink and retool their outreach.
Click Here to Download the Publication
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"Livable Communities for All Ages" is a thoughtful brochure  that reflects years of expertise and findings, as well as resources and case studies, on how all facets of the community can contribute to a more “older adult –friendly” environment. Download hereWith the goal of promoting safer and affordable communities, "Livable Communities for All Ages" features a specific guide on which aspects of civic life—whether the local Chamber of Commerce or an individual— can respond to the maturing of America with instructive measures on the benefits of older adult livability adaptations in four areas:
More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate. The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “ The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.” The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services. Click here to read the full news release (PDF). Or Download the Report here.
This new report from CEOs for Cities, Driven Apart, shows that the solution to our traffic problems has more to do with how we build our cities than how we build our roads. The Urban Mobility Report produced by the Texas Transportation Institute presents a distorted picture of the causes and the extent of urban transportation problems, concealing the role that sprawl plays in lengthening travel times, and effectively penalizing compact cities. We need new and better measures of transportation system performance that emphasize accessibility, rather than just speed. Download the full Press Relase, Executive Summary and Report here
Eighty million members of the boomer generation (born between 1946–1964) have reached or are approaching the traditional retirement age of 65. These boomers overwhelmingly want to age in place. Yet few communities are prepared to meet the needs of older residents, or to engage these residents in civic life.
In response, the Center for Civic Partnerships created Aging Well in Communities: A Toolkit for Planning, Engagement & Action.
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This report showcases the innovation and leadership of 22 chambers of  commerce that when faced with the challenge of ensuring the future strength of their economies, have employed creative new agendas that not only help reverse the effects of environmental degradation but leverage the occasion for valuable economic and social gain. Click here to download the report.
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 This is a Compendium of Community Aging Initiatives, which was made possible by generous support from MetLife Foundation. The Compendium provides information on 121 initiatives and organizations across the country that are helping communities become more aging friendly. The goal of this project is to shorten the learning curve through continued information sharing and cross-learning, so please feel free to distribute this report to other individuals or organizations who may find it useful. The report was produced by the Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services at University of California Berkley. Click here to download the Report.
 This brochure highlights the prevalent issues of today affecting all of our communities and provides concrete examples of the myriad types of institutions that have become “Fulcrums of Change” for the betterment of the people and neighborhoods where they are located.
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This report highlights eleven chambers o f commerce that when faced with the challenge of ensuring the future strength of their economies, have employed creative new agendas that not only help reverse the effects of environmental degradation but leverage the occasion for valuable economic gain. Click here to download the report.
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How to Provide Unique Creative Experiences for Travelers Worldwide
By Rebecca Wurzburger, Tom Aageson, Alex Pattakos, and Sabrina Pratt, Editors
A book indispensable for those who value tourism and travelers. This book tells how to provide unique creative experiences for travelers worldwide. But what is Creative Tourism, how is it different than other types of tourism, why is it needed, and how do you go about developing it? You'll find answers to these questions and more in this book which is based on and draws from the proceedings of the 2008 Santa Fe & UNESCO International Conference on Creative Tourism.
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