Asset Mapping: A Practical Guide to Strengthening Your Mobile Health Program

Asset mapping is a simple but powerful process to understand the resources and strengths in your community. For mobile health programs, it helps you see what services already exist, where gaps may be, and how you can best connect with local partners. 

At Mobile Health Map, we created a detailed Asset Mapping How-To Guide to support mobile health teams through every step of this process. 

What is asset mapping?

It’s a visual map of community assets — like hospitals, clinics, food banks, faith groups, local leaders, transportation options, and even community events. Mapping these resources helps mobile health programs: 

• Identify existing support systems 

• Find gaps in service 

• Plan outreach and partnerships 

• Align with community priorities 

Why does asset mapping matter? 

By knowing your community’s assets, you can avoid duplicating services, use resources more efficiently, and build on the strengths that are already there. It’s a key step in planning effective, community-focused mobile health care. 

How to create an asset map: 

Our guide walks you through: 

1. Defining your geographic area 

2. Brainstorming assets with your team and/or community advisory board 

3. Organizing assets into categories like institutional, community, individual, infrastructure, and unexpected assets 

4. Choosing tools for visualization, such as mind maps, spreadsheets, or online maps 

5. Customizing and updating your map regularly 

Using your map to strengthen your work: 

Once your map is ready, it becomes a valuable tool to guide outreach, build relationships, and inform program planning. Ask questions like: 

• Where are the underserved areas? 

• Who manages the assets, and how can you engage them? 

• Are there new partnership opportunities? 

Next steps: 

After mapping, develop a stakeholder engagement plan based on the people and organizations behind the assets. Keep your map updated and integrate it into your strategic planning to maximize your impact. 

Asset mapping is a foundational step for any mobile health program committed to working closely with the community and using data to drive decisions. 

Ready to get started? 

Other useful tools:

Asset Mapping Template Worksheet

If you have questions or want personalized support, reach out to us at MobileHealthMap@hms.harvard.edu.