About the Funds

The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds (the Funds) is both a grantmaking program and a capacity-building resource. We help organizations and communities address the root causes of health inequities so that all MA residents can have the highest quality of life possible. 

Beginning in 2020 and recurring every other year, the Funds facilitates a competitive grantmaking process. MA-based nonprofit organizations, municipalities, quasi-governmental organizations, and community groups or coalitions with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor can apply. Applicants can receive technical assistance during the application period and awardees participate in capacity-building activities during their grant period. 

We disrupt and remove barriers to health by investing in community-centered change.

Values

As a funder, we embrace the values of Trust Based Philanthropy. Our team also strives to be: 

We value, hear, and fully utilize the strengths of all team members. We work strategically and with intention to sustain our long-term work.​

Our team takes risks, thinks outside the box, and are creative in our approaches. We are committed to anti-racism, challenging bureaucratic systems, and pushing leaders to improve.

We uplift community expertise and approach our relationships with a spirit of support, collaboration, and compassion. We are a resource for awardees and applicants.

We are committed to calling out white supremacy culture, maintaining a consistent feedback loop with awardees, and conducting work informed by data and lessons learned.

We bring passion and joy to our work. We practice vulnerability, conflict resolution skills, and equitable approaches to decision-making. We make space to reflect and actively enhance connections in our work to streamline efforts.

Purpose

The Funds provides an opportunity to distribute Community Health Initiative (CHI) funds throughout MA. CHI funding comes from resources that hospitals, health care facilities, and long-term care facilities are required to devote to programs that improve health. Before the creation of the Funds, CHI funds went mostly to communities that hospitals were in, primarily Boston. The Funds receives a portion of CHI funds and redistributes them to communities that have not typically benefited from this funding.

Through contributions to equitable systems across sectors and the explicit prioritization of people of color and older adults, the Funds envisions Massachusetts communities that are transformed so that all residents have an equitable opportunity to have the highest quality of life possible.

Funding Sources

Overarching Funds Theory of Change

Desired Impacts

MA is a state where individuals have the opportunity to live healthy lives

Age and racial equity is increased across MA

Health and racial equity in systems of care is increased in MA

Strategies

Multi-year investments and capacity building, outreach to under-funded communities, equitable and trust-based grantmaking, transparency and accountability

PSE changes approaches; community engagement, empowerment, and collaboration; community health improvement processes

Equitable evaluation practices, focus on continuous learning and improvement

Direct Outcomes

Investment in activities that benefit communities outside of Boston that have not historically benefited from DoN funding and have high rates of health and racial inequities

Investments in local and regional health improvement planning

Investments in Policy Systems, and Environmental Change strategies

Investments in Healthy Aging strategies

Medium Outcomes

Improved cross-sector collaboration to identify and implement approaches that disrupt racism and eliminate inequities in social determinants of health

Policies, systems, and environments across systems and domains are responsive to and improve the lives of older adults, their families, and caregivers

Improvements in the social determinants of health, particularly for people of color, older adults, and others disproportionately impacted by health inequities

Increased community-driven-change, led by local, regional, and statewide organizations

Longterm Outcomes

Disruption of structural and institutional racism, ageism, and other forms of oppression and their impacts on well-being and health outcomes

Improved population health outcomes in priority geographic areas and priority populations that have experienced significant health and racial inequities

Improved policies, systems, and environments that produce equitable opportunities for older adults to age in their communities while attaining the highest quality of life possible

About the Team

Massachusetts Department of Public Health 

The Department of Public Health (DPH) is a state agency with a mission to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth. DPH makes final decisions regarding the Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds with input from AGE, HRiA, and the Advisory Committees.

Executive Office of Aging & Independence

The Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE) provides quality aging-related resources, tools, and support through a network of regional non-profit agencies and municipal agencies across the state. AGE supports aging adults to live and thrive, safely and independently and provides guidance and expertise to support the administration of the Healthy Aging Funds.

Health Resources in Action

Health Resources in Action (HRiA) is a non-profit organization working to improve and reimagine public health. We connect, consult, and collaborate to solve complex challenges of access and equity in our health and social systems. Together with our partners, clients, and collaborators, we create actionable solutions so all people can thrive. HRiA acts as the fiscal agent and is responsible for the planning and implementation of the Funds. 

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee provides recommendations for the operations of the Funds. Advisory Committee members represent a range of perspectives from across Massachusetts.  Advisory Committee members share the perspective of their community to inform the creation of grantmaking and processes that (1) support and reflect communities and (2) ultimately help to ensure all Massachusetts residents have an equitable opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life.  HRiA serves as the fiscal agent and managing vendor responsible for the implementation of the Funds.