While community development and health professionals have traditionally worked in relative isolation, they have come to share common ground. Both are increasingly recognizing that partnerships and collaboration can mean more comprehensive impacts on community health. However, the full range of resources and expertise that each sector brings, and what the opportunities and pathways to partnership include, may not be fully understood, especially since collaboration is still relatively new.
This playbook builds on the work of the many practical tools that exist to advance cross-sector healthy communities efforts. For community development corporations (CDCs), community development financial institutions (CDFIs), affordable housing developers, and other community development organizations, this action-oriented resource offers guidance to approaching healthcare systems and exploring untapped healthcare partnership opportunities that deepen the impact of community development efforts. For hospitals, health care systems, public health, foundations, and others, this resource outlines the community development sector’s potential role in addressing the social determinants and improving population health, and provides a tool to start the internal conversation with leadership about potential cross-sector collaboration.