Introducing the Feasibility and Impact Matrix Tool:

In public health, policy change is a strong tool for supporting community efforts to increase health and well-being. But not all policies have the same force or effect. Effective policy requires input from an array of stakeholders—government, organizations, and community members—who can evaluate policy design and promote implementable, actionable change. Evaluating policy strength and determining the feasibility and impact of a policy can help health departments and other stakeholders make informed decisions.

The Public Health Law Center (PHLC) recently partnered with the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) to create a sample decision-making tool to assist public health professionals in assessing policy options to improve community health.

Tool in Action:

In March 2024, NACCHO and AMCHP convened a Subject Matter Expert (SME) Council as part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)’s Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovation Project (MCH PIP). This convening brought together 30 experts from leading organizations in the fields of nutrition security and healthy housing from across the country to discuss the feasibility and impact of different maternal and child health (MCH) policies.

At the SME Council meeting, PHLC presented a menu of state-level policy options to improve nutrition security and food access for MCH populations. Council members were then divided into state and local groups to assess the feasibility and impact of state-level policy options through a facilitated discussion.

The results (included below) highlight the differences in perspectives between state and local stakeholders regarding policy prioritization and perceptions of feasibility and impact. The groups then used a consensus-building process to select 5-8 policy priorities that were both feasible and impactful. PHLC is co-launching a completed template from the SME Council and a blank version to help replicate the activity.

How to Use the Feasibility and Impact Matrix Tool:

Health departments and others in the field can use the Feasibility and Impact Matrix as a decision-making tool when considering policy options within their community by following these steps:

Step 1            Build or review your list of policy options.
Step 2 Individually plot policies on the Feasibility and Impact Matrix. Take note of your considerations.

  • How would this policy work in your community? Consider how this policy might affect different populations within your community, such as families with young children or people who may lack stable housing or transportation
Step 3 Compare each individual Feasibility and Impact Matrix within the group.

  • Discuss considerations for each policy.

  • Plot policies on a shared Feasibility and Impact Matrix.
Step 4 Discuss implementation strategies for “Best bet,” “Moonshot,” and “Easy win” policies.

  • Think carefully about jurisdictional differences and variations in need across different communities.

No policy assessment process is perfect. This matrix is designed to prompt a discussion around policy implementation, stakeholder involvement, and potential strategies for policy success. Good policy making requires asking hard questions about cost, time, effort, policy complexity, and community needs. The policy considerations will vary across jurisdictions and depend on community demographics, desires, and political readiness.

Careful policy consideration makes for better policy. With strong policy assessment tools, public health professionals can strengthen their communities – allowing all families to thrive.

Click here to view a PDF of the Feasibility and Impact Matrix

Funding for this project comes from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Maternal Child Health Policy Innovation Program (MCH PIP) (Grant #U1XMC54192). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, not an endorsement by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Nina Omeaku, Director of Healthy Eating and Active Living
March 16, 2026