ZOO new england (ZNE) will create an engagement program to better connect with and serve residents of suffolk county, massachusetts, where one of ZNE's campuses, franklin park ZOO, is located

Zoo New England (ZNE) will receive $149,000 through a Project Grant award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grants program to develop an engagement initiative targeting underserved communities in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Through the one-year award period ending October 2022, ZNE will work to identify at least 150 stakeholder organizations to partner with to bring an estimated 5,000-9,000 local residents into focus groups, community asset mapping activities, and program surveys. ZNE will use this feedback to inform strategies and pilot programs responding to needs identified following the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will allow ZNE's Franklin Park Zoo campus to better connect with and serve residents in surrounding areas like Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and parts of Jamaica Plain.

The initiative will target local families and school-age children and teens in underserved areas, including dorchester, roxbury, mattapan, and parts of jamaica plain. During the first year of this program, ZNE plans to identify at least 150 stakeholder organizations as partners. In subsequent phases, ZNE expects these organizations will bring 5,000-9,000 community residents into ZNE focus groups, community asset-mapping activities, and program surveys. ZNE then will solicit feedback from these residents regarding ZNE program strategies, planning, and success indicators. Finally, ZNE will begin pilot programs, sharing results and gathering feedback from community members. By engaging with its community, ZNE will be able to respond to community needs following the covid-19 pandemic quickly, effectively, efficiently, and responsibly.