Provide assistance to vulnerable groups
A function of government is to support vulnerable populations, such as support through housing and human services departments. The economic downturn will strain these resources as the need increases, but city governments should continue to use their authority to create policies that support vulnerable populations.
ASSESSMENT
Some questions to guide your thinking
- What vulnerable groups is the city already serving?
- What new groups are experiencing need due to the pandemic?
- What do these groups need?
- What resources (financial and human) can be immediately deployed to support vulnerable groups?
- What alternative resources or policies can be leveraged to support these groups?
Resource
Stress-testing your racial equity narrative
Center for Media Justice
This checklist was developed to provide social justice leaders at every level with a set of guiding principles that ensures that messaging and framing strategies do not obstruct each other in the social change …
Reading
Prioritizing equity in relief funds
Hillombo Consulting 5 minutes
This reading offers four criteria that cities, foundations, and organizations responsible for providing COVID-19 relief funds can use to embed equity in their funding guidelines and implementation.
- For example, prioritize organizations that demonstrate a commitment to disrupting systemic racism through word and deed.
Reading
Encouraging community building during COVID-19
International City Manager’s Association (ICMA) 5 minutes
In this article, retired city manager Ed Everett describes how to engage city residents to assist their communities using examples from eight US cities.
- Rethink the relationship between the city and residents.
- Leverage residents' skills, resources, and availability during the pandemic.
Reading
Building city resilience by learning fast and creating a basis of hope
Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative (BHCLI) 5 minutes
This handout summarizes the session by Professors Kayyem, Leonard, Howitt, Giles, and de Jong on building resilience by learning fast and creating a basis of hope for the community.
- Resilience is not an outcome, but rather a process your city is already engaged in every day.
- The handout lists considerations on fostering resilience.
- It also explains how to build a narrative of hope.
Resource
Stress-testing your racial equity narrative
This checklist was developed to provide social justice leaders at every level with a…
Reading
Prioritizing equity in relief funds
This reading offers four criteria that cities, foundations, and organizations …
Reading
Encouraging community building during COVID-19
In this article, retired city manager Ed Everett describes how to engage city …
Reading
Building city resilience by learning fast and creating a basis of hope
This handout summarizes the session by Professors Kayyem, Leonard, Howitt, Giles, …