Town Hall Level SMART Goals

SMART Goals are defined as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. Community members are encouraged to utilize this page to determine if their local community could benefit from implementing them. Consider these as guidelines for further discussion in the direction of tax dollars to provide ideal environments for children and citizens. Take your community's resources, economic and social strengths, and crime rates over the last 25-50 years into consideration.

Maximization of PCEs

1. Supportive Family Environment

Specific: Provide parenting workshops and resources to help families create supportive home environments.
Measurable: Host 10 workshops and reach 200 parents within 1 year.
Achievable: Collaborate with local family support organizations and use existing community spaces.
Relevant: Parenthood is not easy. People often recreate the home environments they grew up in regardless of how healthy those environments were. Parenting workshops will create safe spaces to address frustrations and come up with family bonding ideas, hence increasing the occurrence of PCE #1, "having a supportive family environment"
Time-Bound: Schedule the first workshop within 3 months and complete all 10 within 12 months.

2. Friends to Confide In

Specific: Organize community events (playgroups, game nights, team building activities, school sleep-ins, etc.) to help children build friendships.
Measurable: Host 12 events and involve 150 children within 1 year.
Achievable: Use community centers, schools, and parks as venues and recruit volunteers to help organize and supervise.
Relevant: Supervised community events provide context for children to create memories together and for adults to notice tension or unhealthy relations between children to address or flag for professional intervention.
Time-Bound: Host the first event within 2 months and continue monthly events.

3. Supported by Non-Family Adults

Specific: Establish a mentorship program connecting children with trusted adults (i.e. teenagers with professionals in areas of interest, pre-k aged children with retirees).
Measurable: Vet 100% of town hall attendees within 3 months.
1. The vetting process should include background checks and psychological tests.
2. Train mentors on safety precautions such as:
  - Avoid being alone with a child.
  - If alone with a child, be in sight of a recording camera with audio.
  - Phrases or behaviors that are indicators of abuse, endangerment, or suicidal thoughts and the number to child protective services.
3. Work with school counselor(s) and leadership to pair eligible candidates with students at a 1:3 ratio. More experienced mentors can take on more than 3 mentees if their schedule permits.
Achievable: Examine town hall and school budget to determine realistic financial incentive for completing the vetting process and mentoring.
Relevant: A mentorship would pair children with non-family adults who are safe for the child to engage with.
Time-Bound: Complete the mentor-child matches within 12 months of program launch.

4. Feeling a Sense of Belonging in School

Specific: Town hall leaders can model school pride and facilitate award ceremonies at children’s events and competitions.
Measurable: A town hall member should be present and at least 20 school events open to the public within 1 year.
Achievable: Review events at the beginning of each month through the first week of the following month and rotate the attending town hall members.
Relevant: Having a town hall member present at school events open to the public will model pride in school and in children’s achievements, increasing the likelihood that children feel school is important and meaningful.
Time-Bound: Work with local schools to create a calendar of events for the school year by mid-October, then establish the schedule of attending Town Hall members by end of October.

5. Feeling Safe and Protected in the Community

Specific: Ensure there is at least one supervised park or community center per 15-mile radius of residential zones and a park per 15-minute walking distance per residential zone.
Measurable: Ensure 200 children use supervised spaces/6 months. Maintenance should be performed monthly on unsupervised spaces.
Achievable: Use existing facilities or partner with local organizations to staff and maintain supervised spaces and to incorporate maintenance of unsupervised parks into a monthly schedule.
Relevant: Supervised spaces further ensure safety of participants and can also increase the range of activities accessible. For example, water parks, ranges, farms, petting zoos, etc. are possible for children to experience if they are supervised by professionals other than the children's parents/caretakers.
Time-Bound: Charter plans to build any needed spaces within 3 months and determine a schedule for construction and staffing within the first 6 months. All spaces should be built and open within 24 months.

6. Opportunities for Enjoyable Activities

Specific: Offer free or low-cost extracurricular activities for children in the community. Supplement the cost of classes/admission for participants under the age of 18 enrolled in community schools and/or offer incentives for local businesses that provide extracurricular activities to grant free or low-cost access to their facilities.
Measurable: Enroll 300 children in extracurricular activities within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local organizations, volunteers, and business owners to fund and run programs.
Relevant: By experiencing a diversity of enjoyable activities, children increase their adaptability as well as their exposure to finding the thing(s) that resonate most with them.
Time-Bound: Launch 5 programs within 6 months and expand to 10 programs within 12 months.

7. Sense of Purpose

Specific: Create volunteer opportunities for children to contribute to the community or specifically to their mentors.
Measurable: Engage 100 children in volunteer activities within 6 months.
Achievable: Partner with local nonprofits and schools, especially schools’ student government, to organize age-appropriate activities.
Relevant: Helping others increases connected and belonging, which increase the flow of "happy hormones" such as serotonin and decreases likelihood of struggling with mental health issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts, particularly among teenagers.
Time-Bound: Launch the first volunteer event within 2 months and expand to monthly events within 6 months.

Minimization of ACEs

Increase Awareness of ACEs

Specific: Whether separately or as part of parenting workshops implemented as part of the maximization of PCEs, launch a community-wide education campaign to raise awareness about ACEs, their effects, and prevention strategies.
Measurable: Reach 1,000 residents through workshops, social media, and printed materials within 6 months.
Achievable: Partner with local schools, healthcare providers, CPS, and relevant nonprofits to disseminate information.
Relevant: Increased awareness is the first step to reducing the occurrence of ACEs and can also open the path for individuals to seek support for the impacts ACEs have had on their lives.
Time-Bound: Complete the campaign rollout within 3 months and evaluate reach after 6 months.

Reduce Domestic Violence

Specific: Implement a domestic violence prevention program, including hotlines, shelters, counseling services, and monthly grants to victims leaving violent households.
Measurable: Monitor domestic violence incident reports and target associated areas with prevention programs. Involve at least one adult member of 100% of reported domestic violence cases in one or more parts of the prevention program over the course of 2 years.
Achievable: Collaborate with law enforcement, local 911 call centers, nonprofits, healthcare providers, and CPS to provide resources and support.
Relevant: Reduce occurrence of ACEs 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 through intervention and preventative measures.
Time-Bound: Launch the program within 6 months and measure progress annually.

Improve Access to Family Counseling

Specific: Increase the availability of affordable mental health services for parents and children.
Measurable: Provide counseling services to 100 families within 1 year

Hold one mandatory 30 minute session with 100% of families with children enrolled in community elementary schools and provide information for families to continue sessions.

Achievable: Partner with local mental health providers, colleges providing quality preparation for counseling, and secure funding through grants or community donations.
Relevant: Addressing mental health issues reduces the risk of ACEs by providing families with mechanisms to deal with stress in a healthy manner.
Time-Bound: Begin offering services within 4 months and evaluate usage after 12 months.

Create a Free or Low-Cost Short-Term Babysitting Service

Specific: Increase time for 1-3 hours of self-care per week day for parents/guardians by creating a schedule of babysitters available to families with children 1-7 years old.
Measurable: Provide Red Cross training and certification for local high school students who are looking for volunteer hours and/or are of working age. Serve 300 children in these programs within 1 year.
Achievable: Create shifts for babysitters between the hours of 4pm - 10pm. The hour(s) of relief provided will vary by day of the week per household. Families can choose up to two days of the week to receive more than one hour of relief - up to 3 hours in a single day - and services will not be provided on the weekend.
Relevant: Caretakers, particularly in single-parent households, often find time for themselves and their household after their children go to sleep, which feeds into a destructive cycle of sleep deprivation. Increase of stress increases likelihood for abusive situations to arise. By providing a break for parents to manage their household and care for themselves during waking hours, families can have appropriate stress loads until their child reaches their concrete operational stage (8+ years old) and is capable of short-term independence.
Time-Bound: Create availability of 50 babysitting volunteers/employees within 6 months and expand to 100 within 12 months.

Address Substance Abuse Amongst Parents & Guardians

Specific: Launch a substance abuse prevention and treatment program for parents and caregivers.
Measurable: Enroll 50 individuals in the program within 1 year and monitor police and CPS reports to achieve a 20% reduction in substance abuse-related incidence.
Achievable: Partner with healthcare providers, nonprofits and recovery organizations to provide services.
Relevant: Parental substance abuse induces adversity #9 and increases the likelihood of experiencing several other ACEs. Substance abuse shortens emotional cycles, decreases tolerance for stress, and increases erratic behavior.
Time-Bound: Begin the program within 6 months and evaluate outcomes after 12 months.

Train Professionals to Identify and Respond to ACEs

Specific: Train teachers, healthcare providers, social workers, and relevant volunteers to recognize signs of ACEs and intervene appropriately.
Measurable: Train 100 professionals within 1 year.
Achievable: Use existing training programs and partner with local organization to deliver workshops.
Relevant: Early identification and intervention can mitigate the effects of ACEs.
Time-Bound: Complete the first training session within 3 months and all sessions within 12 months.

Provide Orphans with Adult and Peer-Aged Wellness Partners

Specific: If/when rolling out mentorship programs, provide local orphans with priority in matches. Additionally, ensure that all orphans over the age of 13 have a school-aged partner they regularly meet with and can confide in.
Measurable: Establish support groups and engage 100% of local orphans within one year.
Achievable: Use existing community spaces, mentor training, and honor student programs to recruit and train participants.
Relevant: Orphans are the most vulnerable population, often going overlooked without having a proper adult to advocate for them. By creating adult and peer-aged partnerships who regularly report on the health and well-being of orphaned children, we can ensure they are being appropriately cared for.
Time-Bound: Create mentorship pairings for 50% of orphans over the age of 10 within the first 6 months, peer-pairings for 50% of orphans over the age of 13 within the first 6 months and expand to 100% of age-appropriate pairings within 1 year.

Promote Economic Stability for Families

Specific: Provide stipends for heads of household to attend job training, financial literacy programs, and access to affordable childcare for low-income families.
Measurable: Assist 100 families in achieving economic stability within 2 years.
Achievable: Partner with local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to offer resources.
Relevant: Economic stress is a risk factor for ACEs such as neglect and household dysfunction.
Time-Bound: Launch the first program within 6 months and evaluate progress annually.

Socialization & Education of Children

Create Playgroups for Children In Preoperational Stage

Specific: Establish weekly playgroups for children 5 years or older who are in their preoperational stage of development (typically ending around 7 years old).
Measurable: Engage 50 children in playgroups within 6 months.
Achievable: Use community centers, parks, or schools as venues and recruit parents and volunteers to supervise.
Relevant: In the preoperational stage, children learn to socialize through play and interaction.
Time-Bound: Launch the first playgroup within 3 months and expand to 5 locations within 12 months.

Organize Community Events for Families and Children

Specific: Host monthly family-friendly events.
Measurable: Attract 300 participants per event within 1 year.
Achievable: Use public spaces and partner with local businesses for sponsorships & food trucks present at events.
Relevant: Provides opportunities for children to socialize in a community setting.
Time-Bound: Host the first event within 3 months and continue monthly events for 1 year.

Provide Social Skills Workshops

Specific: Offer workshops for children over the ages 5-11 years old to develop communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills.
Measurable: Train 100 children within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner/employ child psychologists, educators, and nonprofits to deliver the workshops.
Relevant: Children ages 5-11 are in a mix of stages of development; by going through workshops together, they can learn to navigate social interactions at different stages and secondarily may naturally develop mentor-like relationships.
Time-Bound: Begin the first workshop within 3 months and host quarterly workshops thereafter.

Promote Inclusive Socialization for Children With Special Needs

Specific: Develop programs and events that ensure children with special needs can participate in socialization alongside their peers. This can look like inclusive language and accessibility to programs already rolled out.
Measurable: Include 50 children with special needs in community programs within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with special education professionals and advocacy groups to design inclusive activities. If possible, host 1 or more community events at facilities designed for children with special needs.
Relevant: Ensures that all children have opportunities to socialize and reduces stigma and ostracization of children with special needs.
Time-Bound: Launch the first inclusive program/event within 6 months and expand to three programs/events within 12 months.

Availability of Resources to Support Physiological & Safety Needs

Encourage Gardening and Farming

Specific: Establish a community garden and offer property tax reductions to houses that grow food and buildings that have community gardens or a resident food growth program.
Measurable: Serve 500 families per month within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local forms, grocery stores, and nonprofits to source and distribute food.
Relevant: Increasing the number of community members growing food will ensure nutritious food is available to all, regardless of socio-economic status.
Time-Bound: Roll out tax-incentives and open the public community garden within 6 months and reach the target goal within 12 months.

Provide Free Gardening Classes

Specific: Provide classes for community members to learn the foods that grow in their area, how to compost, and to sign up to participate in community gardening and/or farmers markets.
Measurable: Education 300 people within 6 months.
Achievable: Partner with or higher a gardening expert to create a syllabus and list of supplies participants will need to buy.
Relevant: Educating community members on how to grow their own food will increase access to nutritious food.
Time-Bound: Launch the classes within 2 months and reach participant goal within 6 months of launch.

Ensure Access to Clean Water

Specific: Set up vertical rainwater filters attached to residents’ homes and buildings. Train building supers on how to replace filters.
Measurable: Setup vertical rainwater filters for 500 residents within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local nonprofits or college graduate students of engineering to train volunteers/employees on how to set up filters and funnel clean water into existing piping.
Relevant: Most water comes from groundwater; by providing simple, sleek filters that filter rainwater as it falls down the sides of buildings/homes and into existing systems, access to clean water is further ensured.
Time-Bound: Train 50 people to install filtration systems within 3 months, then reach resident access goal within 1 year.

Increase Access to Nutritious Food

Specific: Install solar-powered, free-vending kiosks in accessible public locations (libraries, transit centers, community health clinics) stocked with nutritionally complete, shelf-stable meals.
Measurable: Pilot program with 5 kiosks distributing 200 meals/day minimum. Expand to 25 kiosks distributing 1,000+ meals/day within 3 years.
Achievable: Partner with commercial food production facilities to blend corn, beans, potatoes, beets, kale, coconut oil, a multivitamin powder, and a touch of honey. These Sustainabites can be produced in bulk, stored without refrigeration, and dispensed dry.
Relevant: Not everyone feels safe or comfortable in traditional soup kitchens. People with social anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, or past trauma may avoid group settings entirely. Others face judgment, long waits, or inflexible hours. Solar powered vending machines are a sustainable, dignified, and nutritious source of food. Even if people who aren't facing acute hunger decide to get some Sustainabites, the cost of production is low enough that it wouldn't take away from those in need. This addresses food insecurity, mental health accessibility, sustainability (solar power), and food waste reduction simultaneously.
Time-Bound: Secure funding and launch pilot within 12 months. Citywide expansion within 36 months.

Expand Access to Healthcare Services

Specific: Work with local hospitals to determine the top 5-10 most common treatable diseases, then open a mobile herbalist-based health clinic to provide free or low-cost healthcare services to underserved populations.
Measurable: Serve 300 patients within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local healthcare providers, herbalists, and community gardens to secure funding, staffing, and supplies through grants, donations, and self-grown medical herbs.
Relevant: Using natural remedies to treat common diseases will keep the cost of supplies down while providing physiological need for healthcare.
Time-Bound: Begin clinic operations, including herb growth, within 6 months and evaluate impact after 12 months.

Deploy Rent-to-Own Programs

Specific: Launch a rent-to-own program in 50+ unit apartments owned by municipalities or partner landlords.
Measurable: Prioritize launching the program for low-income families and essential workers, aiming for fifty or more households to be enrolled within 2 years and 75% or more of enrollees to achieve full ownership.
Achievable: Use a combination of grants from HUD's Home Investment Partnerships Program and developer partnerships to fund the program and hire one full-time program coordinator. Refer to the City of Rochester, MN's model which achieved an 83% success rate.
Relevant: "Property" is specifically listed as one of the Safety Needs in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. A Rent-to-Own program would create opportunities for citizens to build generational wealth that they otherwise would not be able to afford to do living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Time-Bound: In year 1, secure funding, identify properites, and draft contracts. In year 2, pilot the program with a smaller 20 unit building and keep failed contracts under 10%. Based on feedback, scale to 50+ unit buildings in year 3.

Access to Resources to Meet Love & Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization Needs

Strengthen Community Social Networks

Specific: Launch a private community page on top 3 most popularly used social media platforms for community members to join.
Measurable: Attract 200+ members within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local businesses, schools, and institutions to advertise for community members to join and the rules for engagement.
Relevant: Private group page combats loneliness and builds social bonds to meet Love & Belonging needs.
Time-Bound: Collect survey data to determine the top 3 most used social media platforms in the community, then appoint a social media manager and launch pages within 3 months. Evaluate participation and effectiveness of advertisement campaigns quarterly.

Expand Support Groups For Vulnerable Populations

Specific: Create peer-led support groups for seniors, new parents, immigrants, ethnic-minorities, LBGTQ+ youth, victims of domestic violence, people with disabilities, recovering addicts, survivors of abuse parents, cancer survivors, or any other at-risk group prevalent in the community.
Measurable: Establish 1- groups with 15+ regular attendees each within 1 year.
Achievable: Train facilitators and use libraries, community centers, and schools after hours as venues.
Relevant: Support groups provide a sense of belonging for marginalized people who may find difficulty connecting to others or acquiring resources to keep up or change their lifestyle, thus meeting their Love & Belonging needs.
Time-Bound: Launch the first 5 groups within 6 months and expand thereafter.

Foster Intergenerational Relationships

Specific: Pair youth with seniors for mentorship and joint activities such as tech tutoring, storytelling, community organization, etc.
Measurable: Match 50 intergenerational pairs within 1 year.
Achievable: Collaborate with schools, senior centers, and nonprofits to find volunteers and spaces for pairs to have time together.
Relevant: Intergenerational partnerships strengthen community ties across ages and increases youths’ access to non-family adults who care about them as well as elders’ access to care and Love & Belonging needs.
Time-Bound: Pilot with 10 pairs within 4 months and scale up from there.

Launch A “Community Champions” Program

Specific: Recognize residents’ contributors with awards and public features.
Measurable: Honor 50 or more individuals annually via town newsletters/social media.
Achievable: Form a nomination committee and allocate a small budget for awards. Categorize award groups by engagement and/or age of participants.
Relevant: This type of award validates effort and boosts self-worth, hence meeting Esteem needs.
Time-Bound: Prepare and launch the program within the first 3 months of the academic year and host the first recognition ceremony during May-July towards the end of the academic year.

Provide Free Skill-Building Workshops

Specific: Offer courses such as public speaking, financial literacy, vocational training, etc. to build confidence and skills of community members.
Measurable: Engage 300 or more adults annually and upon follow up receive 80% or more participants reporting improvement in self-efficacy.
Achievable: Partner with local experts, colleges, and businesses to get volunteers or consultants to lead courses.
Relevant: Courses to improve skills empowers residents to achieve personal and professional goals to achieve Esteem needs.
Time-Bound: Start the first workshop within 4 months and offer 1–3-week courses quarterly.

Create Youth Town Council

Specific: Establish a youth council to advise the town on policies and projects.
Measurable: Recruit 20 or more high school students to run for office and, once elected, implement 2 youth-proposed initiatives annually.
Achievable: Work with schools to promote participation.
Relevant: A youth council who has initiatives implemented with tax dollars build confidence, civic engagement, and reputable experience to report on work and college applications which feeds into Esteem needs.
Time-Bound: Form a youth council that meets bi-monthly within 6 months. Appoint 2 adults as advisors that are available to support the youth council upon request by the President and Vice-President of the council.

Fund Community Art & Innovation Grants

Specific: Offer grants appropriate for the town’s budget and scale of resident-led projects such as public art and sustainability initiatives.
Measurable: Fund 15 or more projects annually and track satisfaction from both the participants and the community members’ who participate from the work done.
Achievable: Allocate funds from the town budget or private sponsors.
Relevant: This project encourages creative expression and problem-solving, which feeds into Esteem needs.
Time-Bound: Establish the grant budget and open applications within 3 months, then award grants biannually.

Develop A “Green Spaces For Wellbeing” Initiative

Specific: Transform underused areas into community gardens, meditation parks, outdoor art spaces, and/or homeless shelters from extreme weather.
Measurable: Create 5 new spaces within 2 years and survey users on improved mental health on a quarterly basis for the first 2-3 years after space is opened.
Achievable: Collaborate with landscape architects, volunteer groups, and nonprofits to build and maintain spaces.
Relevant: This initiative combines nature, creativity, and mindfulness to meet Self-Actualization needs.
Time-Bound: Break ground on the first space within 8 months.

Develop An App To Compile Survey Data From Participants And Beneficiaries Of Town Hall Initiatives

Specific: Develop both a mobile app and website to store information taken from surveys and analyze effectiveness/satisfaction with initiatives.
Measurable: Analyze 250+ data inputs within 12 months.
Achievable: Collaborate with colleges to recruit a computer science and data analysis student or student group to build the aligned resources.
Relevant: Having a single place to intake surveys and analyze data will allow town hall leaders to more efficiently measure benefits of initiatives and adjust budget and other resources accordingly.
Time-Bound: Recruit builders within 6 months and launch both the website and mobile application for Android and Apple devices within 6 months.

Rehabilitation to Mitigate Self-Destructive Behavioral Patterns

Rehabilitation to mitigate the self-destructive behavioral patterns purposefully taught and incentivized by historical government powers for the specific purpose of ease of exploitation for financial gain. Namely,

Addiction to sugar and other carcinogens
Addiction to violence and/or corruption of innocence
Addiction to drugs, particularly opioids

Reduce Availability Of Poisonous Foods

Specific: Launch a “Healthy Food Access Initiative” to eliminate food deserts and reduce sugary/carcinogenic food marketing.
Measurable: Open 2 subsidized hydroponic powered farmers’ markets in areas dominated by fast food restaurants within 1 year. Also, ban junk food ads in public spaces and/or tax sugary drinks and reinvest revenue in nutrition education and/or mandate warning labels on ultra-processed foods.
Achievable: Partner with local farms, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Recruit volunteers to maintain and secure hydroponic farms.
Relevant: Eliminating public fast food ads will stop predatory food industry practices, while the introduction of farmers markets selling food from attached hydroponic farms and neighboring farmers will increase the availability of affordable and nutritious food.
Time-Bound: Draft policy within 6 months and implement markets within 12 months. Introduce yields from hydroponic farms into markets as harvested.

Reverse Desensitization To Violence And Media Exploitation

Specific: Create a “Violence Prevention & Youth Resilience Program” focused on trauma healing, conflict resolution, and purposeful directionality of strength.
Measurable: Train 50 community leaders in restorative justice within 1 year, then monitor youth violent crime arrests with the goal of reducing arrests by 15% in 2 years.
Achievable: Collaborate with schools, therapists, former gang-leaders, martial arts teachers, and community leaders to treat, train, and protect the youth.
Relevant: This program would counter systemic glorification of violence while acknowledging the significant power young people hold and helping them take control of that strength to protect their communities.
Time-Bound: Pilot program in 3 schools within 6 months.

Undo Pharmaceutical Industry Exploitation

Specific: Establish a “Harm Reduction and Recovery Network” with free clinics, safe injection sites, and holistic rehab.
Measurable: Aim to reduce overdose deaths by 20% in 2 years. Provide Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to 200 or more people annually.
Achievable: Partner with nonprofits, Medicaid, and local herbalists to provide holistic treatment.
Relevant: Such a program would counter Purdue Pharma-style profiteering and provide alternative treatments and pain relievers.
Time-Bound: Open the first clinic within 9 months.

Restore Community Trust In Institutions

Specific: Launch a “Truth & Reconciliation Commission” to audit and educate citizens of historical harms committed by institutions, such as redlining, Tuskegee-style medical abuse, and admission of foods into the American market that are banned in other countries.
Measurable: Publish a public report within 2 years and implement at least 5 years of reparative policies such as healthcare access and land restitution. Report initiatives and impacts alongside audits of historical harms.
Achievable: By monitoring and publishing the purposeful harm enacted on citizens, historians, victims, and legal experts are empowered to lead and participate in their own rehabilitation.
Relevant: This program addresses root causes of self-destructive behaviors.
Time-Bound: Hold the first public hearing within 4 months.

Replace Harmful Corporate Products And Institutions With Small Businesses'

Specific: Replace products and services provided by centuries-old malicious corporations such as Blackrock, Blackstone, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble with local small business, consultants, and products insourced from small e-commerce businesses.
Measurable: Launch 10 co-ops in 5 years, creating 300 or more jobs. Reduce payday loan businesses by 30% in targeted areas.
Achievable: Use public land, grants, and exercise eminent domain where appropriate; train residents in cooperative models.
Relevant: Eliminating the services and products provided by harmful corporations that have centuries old practices of harming vulnerable populations will increase the health and economic mobility of local citizens.
Time-Bound: Secure funding within 6 months and open the first co-op in 1 year.

Research to Maximize Happiness of Citizens and System Adjustments in Accordance to Proven Patterns

Establish A “Thriving Research Lab”

Specific: Create a municipal research team to measure and analyze citizen well-being using surveys, behavioral data, and community feedback.
Measurable: Survey 10% of the local population annually. Publish a yearly “Well-Being Report Card” with 10 or more metrics (such as life satisfaction, social connectedness, economic security).
Achievable: Partner with local universities, statisticians, and NGOs for cost-effective data collection.
Relevant: This research model directly ties policy to empirical happiness research. Furthermore, town hall policy makers would have access to data about the key areas in which citizens are thriving and which areas they need support.
Time-Bound: Launch the first survey within 6 months and publish findings within 12 months.

Create A Committee Dedicated To The Study And Implementation Of Thaler & Sunstein’s Nudge Theory

Specific: Apply behavior science to design public systems that encourage healthier, happier choices.
Measurable: Increase participation in happiness-boosting programs and reduce “loneliness index” scores by 10% in 2 years via social infrastructure nudges.
Achievable: Allow the committee to determine the number of staff needed to be trained in Nudge Theory and pilot low-cost interventions.
Relevant: The UK’s Behavioral Insights Team has applied and proven the Nudge Theory to work.
Time-Bound: Test 5 nudges within 1 year and scale successful ones.

Adopt A “Thriving-Informed” Budgeting Model

Specific: Based on collected data, allocate municipal spending towards areas of greatest need/impact.
Measurable: Shift 15% of discretionary spending to well-being projects within 3 years. Additionally, track citizen’s satisfaction with budget priorities annually.
Achievable: Use tools like the WELLBY metric to compare projects.
Relevant: Data-based budget allocation aligns with New Zealand’s “Well-Being Budget,” which was shown to be a success.
Time-Bound: Draft a well-being budget framework within 9 months.

Optimize Urban Design For Joy

Specific: Redesign public spaces using “happy city” principles (such as walkability, nature integration, etc.).
Measurable: Boost park usage by 25% via Project for Public Spaces tactics.
Achievable: Hire a placemaking consultant and involve citizens in codesign.
Relevant: Incorporating infrastructural designs proven by Jan Gehl’s Copenhagen transformations will reflect systemic changes in favor of citizen happiness.
Time-Bound: Redesign one plaza/park within 1 year.

Education, Implementation, and Incentivization of Climate Change Mitigation Practices

Reduce Use Of Plastic

Specific: Replace single-use plastic items such as cutlery or grocery bags with biodegradable alternatives such as those made with seaweed.
Measurable: Identify all single-use plastics in circulation, then secure their biodegradable alternative and remove plastics from circulation within 18 months.
Achievable: Partner with nonprofits, sustainability groups, and the environmentalist departments of local colleges to find and secure alternatives to single-use plastic products.
Relevant: Removing plastics that have no longevity in the household will reduce their presence in the natural world.
Time-Bound: Identify biodegradable alternatives and draft a budget to secure them in bulk within 6 months, then gradually replace plastics in the market over the course of the next 12 months. Evaluate effectiveness at the end of 18 months.

Establish A Community Climate Literacy Program

Specific: Launch a climate education initiative for residents, schools, and businesses.
Measurable: Train 1,000 residents annually in workshops, online courses, and school curricula that are action-oriented, engaging, and achieve 80% participant satisfaction rates in post-training surveys.
Achievable: Partner with local universities, educators, and Non-governmental organizations to recruit/hire educators. Use community spaces like libraries and schools to hold workshops.
Relevant: Small community-based training sessions will address knowledge gaps and empower action.
Time-Bound: Establish a team of educators and a schedule of workshops available every other week or more within 6 months. Evaluate the effectiveness of the project annually.

Transition To 100% Renewable Energy

Specific: Achieve 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations.
Measurable: Identify the form of renewable energy(s) most compatible with your climate, then install corresponding infrastructure on 10 public buildings within 2 years. Reduce municipal carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
Achievable: Use grants, IRA funding, and power purchase agreements to secure funding for infrastructure, installation, and education on maintenance of renewable energy sources.
Relevant: Focusing on the energy sources used by municipalities will reduce fossil fuel dependence and create relationships with people and companies that homeowners can use to also convert to renewable energy.
Time-Bound: Secure funding within 12 months and complete installations in phases, ultimately aiming to have 10 or more municipal buildings operating on renewable energy within 2 years.

Offer Green Business And Resident Rebates

Specific: Offer financial incentives for sustainable choices.
Measurable: Issue 500 rebates annually for green choices such as EVs, composting, heat pumps, rain barrels, etc. Increase residential composting participation by 50% in 3 years.
Achievable: Allocate $200,000 per year from the town budget and state grants towards rebates.
Relevant: The rebates lower barriers businesses, homeowners, and landlords face in adopting green infrastructure.
Time-Bound: Launch rebate program within 9 months.

Introduce Fossil Fuel-Free Town Code

Specific: Ban new fossil-fuel infrastructure, such as gas hookups, diesel buses, etc.
Measurable: Pass legislation within 18 months. Replace 100% of the municipal fleet with EVs or hybrids by 2035.
Achievable: Model the legislation after Berkeley’s gas ban or Boston’s EV transition.
Relevant: Policy change will create long-term gains in reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Time-Bound: Draft policy by year 1 and have it fully implemented by year 3.

Host Climate Action Competitions

Specific: Create first, second, and third place prizes for Climate Action Competitions run on a quarterly, biannually, and annual basis, with the size of the prizes scaled to the length of time and magnitude of the entries.
Measurable: Feature competitions and winners in local newsletters, ads, and social media pages, and fund promotions of winners’ inventions in local, nationwide, and international conventions. Reduce town wide energy usage by 10% over 5 years.
Achievable: Award $30,000 in prize money annually. Host fundraisers to get funding from donors, and also secure grants. Use platforms like Ecochallenge.org for tracking.
Relevant: Competition for climate action will increase community interest and investment in making changes to their infrastructure and routines for the betterment of the planet and future generations.
Time-Bound: Launch competition within 9 months.

Recycle Plastics Into Fuel

Specific: Ensure at least one local gas station sells in part or exclusively fuel made from plastics.
Measurable: Invest in Julian Brown’s Plastic to Oil Converter and request that the one installed in your community run on renewable energy.
Achievable: Secure funding from a portion of the town hall budget or from local donations.
Relevant: Having such a converter in the community would create an outlet for plastic waste and a consistent and economic source of fuel for the community members who have gas or hybrid vehicles.
Time-Bound: Negotiate the timeline for the installation of the converter within 3 months.

Use Carbon-Negative Landscaping

Specific: Convert 20% of public outdoor spaces to native, carbon-sequestering landscapes.
Measurable: Plant 1,000 native trees and bushes per year and restore 50 acres of native wetlands [if applicable] by 2030.
Achievable: Collaborate with local arborists, conservation groups, and volunteers to establish a schedule of planting and maintenance.
Relevant: Restoring native plant life is a cost-effective method of trapping carbon and heat-trapping effects of typical urban landscapes. Fruit bearing plants will also provide free food to residents.
Time-Bound: Establish a schedule/plan, acquire seeds and/or plants and start planting within 12 months.

Research and Creation of Infrastructure to Preserve Life in Mass in the Event of Natural Disasters

Provide Disaster Preparedness Resources

Specific: Distribute disaster preparedness kits and conduct workshops for 500 households.
Measurable: Reach 500 households within 1 year.
Achievable: Partner with local emergency management agencies and nonprofits to provide kits and training.
Relevant: Providing resources and raising awareness and disaster readiness address the safety need for protection from natural disasters.
Time-Bound: Distribute the first 250 kits within 6 months and all 500 kits within 12 months. Conduct workshops on a monthly basis within 3 months.

Establish A “Disaster Preparedness Committee”

Specific: Conduct a town-wide risk analysis of climate/disaster threats using GIS mapping and climate models, then research infrastructure that would reduce disruption to daily life in the event of imminent natural disasters and provide shelter/safety to citizens affected by said disasters.
Measurable: Identify 100% of at-risk neighborhoods and critical infrastructure within 1 year, then publish a public “Resilience Report” with 10 or more priority action items.
Achievable: Partner with FEMA, universities, and insurance companies for funding, technology, and data.
Relevant: A research committee ties infrastructure planning together with localized risks.
Time-Bound: Complete the risk assessment within 12 months and update it every 3 years.

Build Disaster-Proof Shelters

Specific: Construct 3 multi-hazard community shelters rated to withstand the toughest disasters prevalent to the community (hurricanes, wildfires, snowstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.).
Measurable: Shelters must have capacity for 1,000 people each, as well as backup power and enough water to supply inhabitants for at least 72 hours.
Achievable: Use FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants and municipal bonds to fund planning and construction.
Relevant: 3 shelters capable of holding 3,000 people would address the 60% of Americans unprepared for disasters.
Time-Bound: Break ground on the first shelter in 18 months and complete all 3 shelters within 5 years.

Incorporate AI Into Alert Networks

Specific: Deploy IoT sensors with AI forecasting.
Measurable: Reduce warning time for disasters by 50% and achieve 95% resident enrollment in emergency alerts via app/text message within 2 years.
Achievable: Partner with tech firms for predictive modeling.
Relevant: Early warnings improved with AI can reduce deaths by 30% according to research conducted by UNDRR.
Time-Bound: Install 50 sensors within the first year and achieve full network operation within 3 years.

Stockpile Critical Resources

Specific: Create stockpiles of food, water, and medical supplies for 14-day outages that can be distributed to citizens.
Measurable: Store 1 gallon of water and 2,000 calories of food per person at 10 or more secure locations. Ensure 100% of fire and police stations are equipped with backup generators.
Achievable: Phase in stockpiles using DHS Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants.
Relevant: Distributable stockpiles of resources prevent post-disaster scarcity.
Time-Bound: Within 1 year accumulate 25% of stockpiles and reach 100% by the fourth year.

Upgrade Roads & Bridges

Specific: Upgrade roads and bridges to withstand disasters.
Measurable: Retrofit 5 critical bridges to survive floods by 2030 and acquire 10 high-water rescue vehicles for fire departments.
Achievable: Use USDOT PROTECT Program funds for climate-resilient transit.
Relevant: Reinforced roads and bridges as well as availability of amphibious evacuation vehicles will address the 25% of disaster deaths that involve transportation failures according to research published by NHTSA.
Time-Bound: Start engineering reviews in 6 months and complete 1 bridge per year.

Conduct Mass Survival Drills

Specific: Conduct biannual disaster simulations for 10% of residents.
Measurable: Train 5,000 people annually via schools and workplaces on how to facilitate disaster response to cut emergency response time by 20% after 3 drills.
Achievable: Collaborate with Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
Relevant: Increasing the number of trained individuals in the community will ensure 50% higher survival rates according to research published by WHO.
Time-Bound: Conduct the first drill within 9 months and evaluate improvements annually.

Enforce Mandatory Resilience Standards

Specific: Pass a building code requiring all new construction to meet Fortified Home or LEED Resilient Design Standards.
Measurable: Achieve 100% of compliance for permits issued after 2026 and reduce disaster insurance claims by 40% in 10 years.
Achievable: Model standards after Florida’s hurricane codes, Japan’s earthquake standards, or any other leading country or state’s standards aligned to protection from the natural disaster(s) prevalent in your community.
Relevant: Resilient buildings will reduce disruptions to daily life after natural disasters and they also save $10 per $1 invested according to NIST.
Time-Bound: Draft code in 12 months and achieve full enforcement in 3 years.

SMART goal development and research done in collaboration with DeepSeek.

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