The Institute for Livable & Equitable Communities is a partnership between the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Del Mar Healthcare Fund of The Dayton Foundation, AARP/World Health Organization, Learn to Earn Dayton and other local business, healthcare, nonprofit and higher education institutions.
Together, they are developing a long-term, multi-faceted effort to address nine domains proven to enhance livability and equity in communities. These include the following areas of focus derived from the Livable Communities’ framework outlined by AARP/WHO: education; entrepreneurship, employment and volunteering; community engagement; health and environment; housing; neighborhood; safety and justice; technology and connectivity; and transportation.
Efforts to Date
The Institute has spawned several impactful efforts, including the Regional Equity Calendar that promotes equity training and event opportunities; the Miami Valley Regional Broadband and Digital Equity Forum to address local broadband infrastructure and access issues; and the Environmental Justice Academy, a training program developed in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for community, nonprofit and environmental leaders to identify and address environmental challenges in their communities.