Neighborhood Innovation Zones (NIZs)

Neighborhood Innovation Zones (NIZs), is a bold initiative to merge public health and economic empowerment in underserved communities. By combining culturally aware health education with business training, NIZs empower residents to launch health-focused enterprises, transforming neighborhoods into hubs of wellness and opportunity.

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What NIZs Offer

NIZs will connect residents and entrepreneurs with:

• Business Development: Funding, mentorship, and technical support for health-based enterprises.

• Workforce Training: CHW certification and culturally responsive health workforce development.

 

Smart Growth Through a Lifecycle Model

NIZs follow a strategic path to sustainable impact:

Ideation → Planning → Launch → Growth → Sustainability

Each phase builds on the last to ensure long-term success through wellness-driven economics.

 

Next Steps

• Advisory Committee: GPT will form a leadership group over the next 18–24 months to pilot the first NIZ, shaping a scalable, community-based model.

• Collaborative Development: GPT is partnering with DRIVE, an economic development organization, and the University of Tennessee's CURCI grant to co-lead a systems-change initiative that builds healthier, more resilient communities.