blue moon fund

The Viable Futures Toolkit: Sustainable Communities for All Ages (VFT) was developed to illustrate and advance an inclusive framework to community planning, using the aging of the population as the “presenting issue” to achieve a holistic approach.  blue moon’s three year funding of development, application, testing, and dissemination has set in motion a multi-state, multi-community demand for this perspective and successfully engaged other investors.

The VFT demonstrates a fresh, integrated approach to community planning and decision-making that is sorely needed at a time when resources are constrained, the environment is compromised, and communities’ challenges are greater than ever.  The VFT approach is easily communicated by demonstrating that it provides “a new math.”  First, one intervention or strategy can yield far more than one result (1>1).  Second, two interventions together can equal much more than two outcomes through their planned synergy (1+1>2).  The success of this and its offspring products comes from their being both research-based and practically grounded. 

The first VFT tools and point of view have now been tested successfully in diverse regional settings, across different stakeholders configurations, and with varying presenting issues, aging or not.  A family of products has been spawned beyond the initial Toolkit:  4 case studies, a compendium of Lessons Learned, a dedicated website, VFT #2: Community Planning for Boomers, and a Training Guide for both VFTs.  A recently formed Viable Futures Center has added to this expertise a cross-cutting focus on racial equity and a more general focus on strategic solutions for tough times to ensure that the holistic focus will be heard by a broad range of stakeholders, community organizations and governmental units.

Utilizing the Viable Futures point of view, the Viable Futures Center team has developed products and services and offered consulting in the following areas with national and local nonprofits, government units, universities, and philanthropies: 

• Local food systems development
• The greening of nonprofit organizations
• Responsible community redevelopment practices such as resident engagement, family relocation that enables residents to be better off than before, and environmentally sound building demolition
• Community engagement and mobilization
• Racially equitable community and organizational planning and implementation

 Here’s what users have said about the Viable Futures Toolkit: 

• Tacoma, WA government staffer:  “The Toolkit provided an excellent framework for thinking about community needs and assets in a comprehensive way.”
• Denver, CO regional planner: "The Toolkit is excellent. It encourages flexibility and creative approaches. It helps to provide a structure for a very open-ended situation."
• Atlanta, GA human services director:  "The most helpful part is the examples of what other communities have done. People can't discuss what they don't know."
• Former Assistant Secretary of HHS: “…an invaluable guide in redefining and reshaping the future of an aging society.”
• Aspen Institution staff member: “…(it offers) sustainable solutions for pressing community problems.”
• AARP Director: “The Toolkit covers new ground – it provides practical strategies for AARP staff, volunteers, and members as they work toward developing livable communities that are good places for all ages.”

Case studies and consulting outcomes detailing application of the VFC point of view and processes to pressing community concerns show the following concrete results: 

• expanded funding sources
• broader community coalitions
• reduced resource competition
• more environmentally sound practice
• reduced racial tensions
• greater commitment to reducing racial disparities
• cost savings through more comprehensive problem-solving
• stronger community bonds across diverse groups 

For additional information, please visit the Viable Futures website, www.viablefuturescenter.org.