Our Story.
Our Values.

Founder Jenn Goldson believes that the secret to good planning is in finding a balance – balance so that communities can honor and preserve the past as well as make progress toward a better future, enhance the lives of people who already are part of the community as well as welcome and embrace newcomers, and sustainably promote wellness for both people and the planet.

She created JMG to serve a lofty goal to create vibrant, authentic, and equitable communities that are proud of who they are and excited by what they can achieve.

Since 2006, JM Goldson has helped communities anticipate and respond to changes, collaboratively envision a hopeful future, and find the best balance of public policy strategies that work together to protect community assets and make strong, healthy places.

Our team has worked with countless municipalities, agencies, and organizations in the Northeast U.S. and beyond. Projects include comprehensive master plans, community vision plans, housing production plans, housing needs assessments, GIS analysis, community preservation plans, and more.

We are planners. We are advocates.

We are change makers.

Our team sees communities first as people—with different perspectives and priorities, but also a sense of shared ownership of place. Consequently, we see community members as co-creators in the planning process.

Our approach emphasizes highly interactive engagement to amplify various perspectives, challenge assumptions, and understand research findings.

JM Goldson also has strong technical capabilities in GIS mapping, modeling, simulations, and data visualization. We combine this work with years of practical expertise to prepare customized policies and plans that help communities create vibrant futures.

Our team has solid professional experience and a shared passion for the work and its potential to create meaningful impacts.

We value historic assets in communities and recognize the important role they serve in offering a sense of place, continuity, and familiarity. At the same time, we understand the legacy of historic practices and policies that established and perpetuated inequalities within and across communities.

We are committed to promoting just policies so that all people have open and equitable access to live in healthy, vibrant, and safe communities.

JM Goldson is built upon core values of collaboration, equity, inclusion, and sustainability. We look forward to collaborating with you.

Learn about our services

Man points and speaks about map with two women at a community planning workshop - JM Goldson

Community Members at white board during a brainstorming session - JM Goldson

Group of Community Members sitting around map - JM Goldson

We believe:

All people should have open and equitable access to live in healthy, vibrant, and safe communities.
Community engagement should create an inclusive environment where everyone who wants to can be seen, valued, and heard in the decisions that affect their communities and their lives.
Smart policies help us to be good stewards of our communities and planet, use resources wisely, and enhance wellness for both people and the planet.
Just and effective outcomes require close collaboration to co-create public policies that have the power to improve lives.