Community Investment Tax Credit Health Impact Assessment (CITC HIA)

Status: Past Project
Year: 2014
Location: Massachusetts
Client: Government organizations
Services Provided: Assessment and Planning, Policy & Health Systems Improvement, Research & Evaluation
Technical Expertise: Worksite Wellness


Health Resources in Action, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to inform the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as it developed a new funding opportunity for community development corporations (CDCs): the Community Investment Tax Credit Grant Program (CITC Grant Program).

The HIA examined connections between community development activities and health, and identified health metrics (health outcomes that result from the investment of tax credits in communities) that could be measured and evaluated with information provided by CDCs.

In addition, HRiA and its partners published three videos about the linkages between community development and public health.  These videos include:

  • What is community development’s impact on health?
  • Upstream investments: How community development corporations impact public health
  • Demonstrating the difference: Strategies for harnessing data and partnerships

Finally, HRiA and its partners produced a report: The Business Case for Health Development and Health Impact Assessments.

These tools will support developers and practitioners as they explore opportunities to integrate health into development initiatives.

The CITC HIA and its products were supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.