Announcing the 2022 Awardees

In October 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced the second round of awardees for the Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds (known as “The Funds”). The Funds were stablished in 2017 as part of a landmark revision of the Determination of Need (DoN) regulations. We intentionally invest throughout the Commonwealth to promote health equity by disrupting and removing barriers to health including structural and institutional racism, poverty, and deep power imbalances. Health Resources in Action (HRiA) is the fiscal agent responsible for leading the planning and implementation of the investment approaches. DPH and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) in partnership with HRiA, the 24 awardees, and their many community partners, aims to create measurable impact on structural racism, social determinants of health, and health outcomes across the state, in areas that typically aren’t supported by DoN community health funding. 

The 2022 cohort includes $15.6M in grants. The funds support 24 lead organizations and their partners, ultimately impacting 183 cities and towns across the state.    

Read more about the Funds and the 2022 Awardee Cohort in the press release.

“We are excited to bring on this new cohort to the MA CHHAF. The scope and depth of their work to address social determinants of health in their communities ensure that those most impacted by these issues are at the forefront of the work. This is one of the key factors in dismantling the root causes of health inequities in addition to using a racial justice and health equity lens to fight these issues head-on. I’m honored to be in company with all the awardees, past and present!” says Alberte Altine-Gibson, Director of the Funds at Health Resources in Action.  

In total, the Funds have distributed $30.3M to 56 awardees and 60+ of their community partners across the Commonwealth. The Funds have become one of the largest health funders in the state, operated uniquely through a public-private partnership between MDPH and HRiA. Awardees from both cohorts will have opportunities to network with their peers throughout the state as the Funds hosts several learning sessions and other peer learning opportunities each year.