Community Investment
Helping to secure the future of health equity by investing in grassroots community capacity building.
Community Investment Grants
The Center's Community Investment regranting program aims to support local-level community-based, power-building organizations by strengthening community capacity through organizing and mobilizing communities to advocate for equity-centered policy, systems, and environmental change.
In 2024, The Center established the Community Investment Unit to serve as the regranting arm of our programs and services focus, providing oversight on the administrative, programmatic, and evaluation activities of funded local communities to implement action plans to:
- Enhance Internal Infrastructure to administer community investment grants;
- Pilot and strengthen the Pathways to Health Justice training process to organize and mobilize communities to respond to public health priorities;
- Identify and manage strategic partnerships in the South and the Midwest.
Our overarching goal is to enhance The Center’s technical assistance and program development for the funded grantees by addressing intersectional health issues compounded by social, economic, and political barriers to health, including commercial tobacco use disparities, food insecurity, access to culturally tailored mental health interventions, maternal and child health, and other community-identified health justice concerns.
The following goals guide the Community Investment Unit:
Aligning our Grant Program with The Center’s Mission
Each funding opportunity offered by The Center is rooted in our intention to invest in projects that “facilitate programs and services to benefit communities and people of African descent.” The Center also welcomes proposals to partner with organizations across a variety of sectors, including, but not limited to, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher learning, local and state health departments and government systems, philanthropic foundations, corporate entities, and other innovative creators/curators who share our mission and values.
Exploring the connection between policy advocacy and other areas of social justice
The Center is committed to addressing the social and economic injustices that have marginalized communities and led to deep health disparities. Our portfolio of programs in commercial tobacco control, COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, women’s health, cancer care, mental health, and other disparities is supported by our proven framework for policy and social change.
Demonstrate the priority of funding local organizations
Infrastructure support for local networks is crucial for sustainability and viability, and The Center is committed to providing financial support and technical assistance to community-based organizations. We provide program coaching and tangible tools to support organizations in leveraging assets. All aspects of our grantmaking are assessed through an equity and trust-based lens. This includes everything from our application process and selection criteria to program reporting requirements.
Building Capacity to Advance Health Equity and Community Power *Launching Fall 2026
Project Overview: The Center for Black Health and Equity (The Center) provides training, technical, assistance, and financial support to regional grantees to sustain and expand efforts to strengthen community capacity to address systemic health inequities through coalition engagement, leadership development to advance policy, systems, and environmental change to build advocacy capacity in community-based organizations (CBOs) serving communities across the South and Midwest.
I Live: Advocacy Amplification Project (2024-2027)
Project Overview: The I Live: Advocacy Amplification Project (ILAAP) supports capacity-building activities to advocate for comprehensive, equity-centered, locally or regionally driven HIV advocacy strategies, prevention policies, and practices within identified communities.
Advancing Health Equity in Tobacco Nation (August 2024 – August 2026)
Funded Partners: Black Mental Health Village, BlaqOut, Inc., Breathe Easy South Carolina, Community Education Group, Embrace All Latino Voices, H.E.A.R.T. Coalition, Making It Count Community Development Corporation, and Minority Health Coalition of Madison County.
These projects have been implemented with financial support from the following entities
