The Montana Nutrition and Physical Activity (NAPA) Program’s Building Active Communities Initiative (BACI) was a project of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in cooperation with Montana State University’s Office of Rural Health. With in-depth, interactive training, mentoring and ongoing technical assistance, BACI supported community-led approaches to develop active and healthy communities.  The overarching goal of the Initiative was to provide communities the tools and technical assistance they need to develop policies, plans, and projects that support more safe, connected and walkable communities.  WTI’s Small Urban and Rural Livability Center provided funding support for several of BACI’s Action Institutes. This project will build on the momentum created by the Building Active Communities Initiative Program by extending WTI’s technical support efforts.

Many of the small rural communities that have participated over the years have an ongoing need for technical assistance. At the BACI Action Institutes, these communities gathered information and developed ideas for policies, programs and projects to implement in their communities. Many of these communities lack the technical knowledge to fully implement their ideas. WTI’s Small Urban, Rural, and Tribal Center on Mobility (SURTCOM) staff have been involved with the BACI program from the beginning and have long standing relationships with NAPA, DPHHS, MDT, and Department of Commerce staff that have also been involved with providing technical assistance to BACI Action Institute and the BACI communities. In addition, WTI’s SURTCOM staff have the expertise and experience in rural bicycle and pedestrian best practices and experience working with these communities through the Safe Routes to School program.  These factors combine to make WTI’s SURTCOM ideally positioned to provide the additional technical support that these communities need to bring the policies, programs, and projects to reality.