Healthy Neighborhood Investments is helping us better understand barriers to collaboration, tailor our technical assistance based on what we learn, and work to embed capacity within local organizations to address those barriers. The program includes projects in three California communities where both sectors are investing in SDOH such as service-enriched affordable housing, grocery stores in food deserts, and childcare facilities. We are also developing a policy scan in partnership with Shift Health Accelerator of federal, state and local policies that influence cross-sector partnerships between community development and healthcare.
Partners
Coachella Valley: Coachella Valley Housing Coalition and Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Fresno: Fresno Community and Economic Development Partnership
Stockton: Reinvent South Stockton Coalition and Low Income Investment Fund
Technical Assistance: Center to Advance Community Health & Equity
Policy Scan Support: Shift Health Accelerator
Healthy Neighborhood Investments: What We’ve Learned to Date (link)
Community Innovations has a three-pronged goal: to enhance the Network’s understanding of how best to support local organizations’ cross-sector reports; to connect local organizations to other peer organizations and the larger national dialogue, resources, and tools; and to embed capacity within organizations to undertake health strategies and engage with healthcare.
When we closed the RFP in April, we had received over 80 proposals. We were inspired and encouraged to see so many incredible organizations doing important work to address the social determinants of health and advance equity. Each proposal was carefully reviewed against an evaluation rubric that was based on the Principles for Building Health and Prosperous Communities, and finalists were reviewed by members of the Advisory Committee (list included below). After a rigorous evaluation process and with much deliberation, we awarded five proposals, in part to ensure adequate resources to awardees to carry out the work. This was certainly not an easy decision, there were many excellent proposals. We are eager to figure out future opportunities to continue work with more community development corporations committed to improving health and well being.
Portland, OR
Minneapolis, MN
Louisville, KY
San Diego, CA
Gulfport, MS
Senior Community Development Advisor, Purpose Built Communities
Director, Community Wealth Partners
Principal Project Specialist, America’s Essential Hospitals
Vice President, Community Health Investment, Providence St. Joseph Health
Executive Director, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations
Program Officer, The Kresge Foundation
Vice President, Health Initiatives, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Senior Associate, Policy Link
Director of Healthy Homes and Communities, NeighborWorks America
EVP, Integrated Health & Human Services, Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.
Mapping, connecting to, and building on existing cross-sector initiatives that address systemic racism in historically disinvested communities and advance health equity
Learn MoreCustomized case-making to provide organizations with the messaging, language, and knowledge needed to engage with other sectors to advance racial and health equity
Learn MoreFostering and managing meaningful connections between community development, healthcare and public health organizations that are mission-aligned
Learn MoreConvening and providing training to community development and health leaders for project development and co-investment to improve health and racial equity
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We produce race-conscious analyses for health systems, CDFIs, local CDCs, and health foundations, which they then use to successfully clarify and prioritize partnership opportunities that advance health and racial equity. Partnerships will be equipped to identify locations for investment, translate language barriers to more effectively engage across sectors, and focus investment strategies based on historical disinvestment, aligned goals, existing efforts and community priorities.
We curate conversations to foster collaboration on a specific fund or project or in a specific location with the goal of mapping out an action plan for project development and investment.
We coordinate strategic introductions (through warm hand-offs, virtual meetings, or in-person conversations), plan and participate in meetings and calls, review/revise materials and talking points to facilitate conversation, and serve as a moderator and translator to ensure ongoing successful communication. Playing this key role on behalf of CDFIs, CDCs, and health systems has brought new investments to the table and fostered new advocacy partnerships that address social determinants of health.
Our trainings have allowed Community Development Financial Institutions to outsource baseline knowledge-building for interested healthcare investors and informed healthcare investors’ decisions to invest in community development funds or projects.