The Active Communities Tool (ACT): An Action Planning Guide and Assessment Modules to Improve Community Built Environments to Promote Physical Activity helps committed, cross-sector teams create an action plan for improving community built environments that promote physical activity consistent with their community context.
The Active Communities Tool is best suited for use with a single municipality (also referred to as a community). A cross-sector team with representatives from a variety of disciplines across the community, such as public health, transportation, public works, and land use planning, should be included in the action planning process. They are often the individuals with the technical expertise needed to understand and interpret the details of existing plans, policies, processes and resources that shape the community’s built environment. They are also the sectors that have the responsibility and authority to implement the plans, policies and processes, and for providing funding and other resources to improve the built environment to promote physical activity.