APA New Jersey Awarded $1.5 Million Grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Advance Public Health Through Land Use Planning

The New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA New Jersey) is proud to announce that it has received a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to advance public health through land use planning.

The grant will support APA New Jersey’s efforts to address the critical connection between land use strategies and public health outcomes. While promoting public health is a key goal of New Jersey’s Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), it has often not been effectively integrated into the development of municipal land use strategies or the zoning mechanisms that support them. As a result, public health policies and initiatives have been implemented in a disjointed manner rather than as part of a comprehensive planning process that engages all stakeholders and incorporates data-driven, sustainable solutions into the community’s Master Plan.

Overview

In the first year, APA New Jersey will foster cross-sector collaboration to create toolkits that connect land use with public health outcomes. These toolkits will cover several key areas, including housing, transportation, environmental factors, access to healthcare, and healthy food access. The toolkits will guide municipalities in developing a Model Master Plan Public Health Element and will include accessible health data and land-use mapping.

In the second year, APA New Jersey will provide technical assistance and financial resources to select communities through a regranting process, assisting them in developing and adopting a Master Plan Public Health Element. Up to six communities will be selected to receive grants, with funding amounts ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.

Year 2 will conclude with a Planning and Public Health Summit, where key lessons from the project will be shared, and the grantees’ work will be showcased.

This grant is a significant step toward integrating equitable public health considerations into land use planning across New Jersey, and APA New Jersey is excited about the opportunities this project will bring to improve community health and well-being throughout the state.

Vision Statement

In New Jersey, we envision a dynamic future where public health and land use planning unite as a powerful force for building vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities. By empowering citizens and fostering robust collaboration among community leaders, professional planners, public health officials, and residents, we are committed to using quantitative and qualitative data to identify disparities and champion the well-being of all. Our vision is to ensure that land use decisions not only address but actively tackle public health challenges, transforming our environments into spaces that promote health, reduce inequities, and elevate quality of life. By incorporating public health strategies into municipal master plans, decision-makers will work to adopt the appropriate zoning and capital investments to build sustainable, equitable, and inclusive communities that flourish through collective action, fostering long-term health, vitality, and opportunity.

 

Volunteer with Plan4HealthNJ

Our Project Team leaders are forming Technical Advisory Committees to support key aspects of our project, including data collection, toolkit content development, and outreach efforts within specific subject areas. We are seeking volunteers with expertise in any of our six subject areas to contribute to these initiatives. Volunteers will collaborate closely with Project Team leaders over a six-month period, with regular meetings to track progress. Each team will determine the frequency and number of meetings.

 

Key Deliverables:

Datasets for interactive mapping (to be developed)

Toolkits linking public health with land use planning across the six subject areas

  • Access to Healthy Food / Agriculture
  • Access to Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Housing / Affordability
  • Transportation / Access to Transportation
  • Urban Design

A Model Public Health Master Plan element

Outreach efforts targeting diverse communities

If you’re interested in making a meaningful impact, please fill out the form below, and a Project Team Leader will contact you. Thank you for helping us drive the success of this project!

Plan4HealthNJ Volunteer Form

Name(Required)
Area of Interest/Expertise(Required)

Project Team

Angela Knowles, AICP, PP, Project Director

Sheena Collum, MPA, Grant Administrator

Tara Kenyon, AICP, PP

Candice Davenport, RN, BSN, MPH, MCHES, HO

Zenon Tech-Czarny, AICP, PP

Graham Petto, AICP, PP

Thomas Dallessio, FAICP, PP

Michele Delisfort, AICP, PP

Carlos Rodrigues, FAICP, PP

Advisory Council

Alix Fellman, Director of Community Development – Trenton Health Team

Benjamin Spinelli, Executive Director – NJ Highlands Council

Dr. Aaron Horne, Cardiologist – Summit Health

Dr. Eric Tate, Professor – School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University

Harriet Bogdanowicz, Chief Operating Officer – American Planning Association

Hazel Applewhite, Chief Executive Officer – Ironbound Community Corporation

Dr. Katie Squires, State Office Director – AARP

Leigh Ann Von Hagen, Executive Director – Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

Lucas Marxen, Executive Director – Environmental Analysis and Communications Group, Bloustein School, Rutgers University

 

Marco Navarro, Senior Program Manager – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Margaret Lumia, Program Administrator – Disability Health and Wellness & TBI Fund, NJ Department of Human Services

Marquetta Alexander, Director – RWJBH – Clara Maass Medical Center, Director Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Phil Kramer, Mayor – Franklin Township (Somerset County)

Sen. Renee Burgess, NJ State Senator – Member of Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

Stephanie Gorman, President – NJ Association of City & County Health Officials

Walter Lane, Executive Director – NJ Office of Planning Advocacy