The Kane County Planning Cooperative coalition has received a $125,000 grant from the American Planning Association through its Plan4Health program to combat two determinants of chronic disease — lack of physical activity and lack of access to nutritious foods.

Plan4Health is a 15-month program that strengthens the connection between planning and public health. Seventy-five percent of the program’s funding supports local and state coalitions working to advance public health through better planning and partnerships. The program is implemented in partnership with the American Public Health Association and represents a major new collaboration between planners and public health professionals. Funding for Plan4Health was provided through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is an exciting new opportunity to improve the health of our communities through diverse partnerships,” said Anna Ricklin, AICP, manager of APA’s Planning and Community Health Center. “Collaboration is key if we want to continue to create communities of lasting value that are equitable and healthy for all residents.”

Eighteen coalitions were selected for the Plan4Health program after a competitive review process. The program is being administered through APA’s Planning and Community Health Center that is dedicated to integrating community health issues into local and regional planning practices by advancing research, outreach, education and policy.

“We are pleased and honored to have been chosen to receive this grant. The programs it will fund will help us achieve our vision of having the healthiest residents in Illinois by 2030,” said Health Department Executive Director Barbara Jeffers.

Kane County Planning Cooperative

The Kane County Planning Cooperative partners (Health Department, Division of Transportation and Development Department) seek to expand and build partnerships beyond geographic borders to address inactivity and unhealthy diets by integrating health, transportation, and land use planning efforts. Strategies include advancing leadership; conducting a food hub feasibility study; implementing the Fit Kids 2020 Plan; and assisting local governments with walkability studies in specific at-risk neighborhoods.

In addition to Kane County Planning Cooperative being selected, the following 17 coalitions also received funding:

1. Eastern Highlands Health District Community Health Response Team; Eastern Highlands, Connecticut
2. Healthy Savannah, Inc.; Chatham County, Georgia
3. Health Transformers; Vista Neighborhood, Boise, Idaho
4. B-Well Bensenville Plan4Heath Coalition; Bensenville, Illinois
5. Reach Healthy Communities; Columbus, Indiana
6. Health by Design; Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana
7. Planning Healthy Iowa Communities; Linn County, Iowa
8. Kenton County Plan4Health Coalition; Kenton County, Kentucky
9. Inner Core Community Health Improvement Coalition; Metro Boston, Massachusetts
10. Healthy Eating, Active Living Partnership – Active Living Workgroup; St. Louis, Missouri
11. Plan4Health – Nashua, an initiative of the Greater Nashua Public Health Network; Nashua, New Hampshire
12. Trenton Healthy Communities Initiative; Trenton, New Jersey
13. Live Well Kingston; Kingston, New York
14. Columbus Public Health – Chronic Disease Prevention Advisory Board; Columbus, Ohio
15. Plan 4 Health Summit County; Summit County, Ohio
16. Austin-Vámonos Rundberg Coalition; Rundberg Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
17. Capital Region Healthy Communities, Dane County, Wisconsin

For more information about the Plan4Health program, visit the Plan4Health webpage or follow the hashtag #Plan4Health on Twitter.

The American Planning Association is an independent, not- for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning — physical, economic and social — so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. Members of APA help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people’s lives. APA has offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. For more information, visit www.planning.org.