Skip to content
Who We Are
Who We Help
Case Studies
Programs
Impact
Resources
Healthcare Accountability Toolkit
Participatory Investing Toolkit
Reimagining Equity
Ratecards
Initiatives
Connect
Who We Are
Who We Help
Case Studies
Programs
Impact
Resources
Healthcare Accountability Toolkit
Participatory Investing Toolkit
Reimagining Equity
Ratecards
Initiatives
Connect
Test
1. WILLINGNESS
We have a formal infrastructure to enable community leadership in decision-making around our funding and investments.
A defined percentage of our health equity budget, grants, endowment, and/or investment assets are under community governance with commitments to increase the percentage over time.
We take institutional risks to resource community-identified priorities, even when they challenge the status quo.
Our commitment extends beyond funding cycles and one-time project investments, ensuring sustained support and relationship-building.
2. DISCOVERY
We design early interactions with community related to institutional assets/funding to maximize mutual learning, not extract input.
We provide clear, low-risk opportunities to safely test boundaries and expectations regarding institutional funding
We prioritize listening over presenting in initial engagements to help shape our funding approaches
We provide clear mechanisms for pausing or resetting interactions with community partners
We proactively share detailed information about our financial structures, investment strategies, and decision-making processes early in community relationships.
3. FAMILIARITY
We aim to foster long-term, consistent funding relationships rather than changing priorities with each funding cycle.
We reduce administrative burden on community partners through simplified, consistent application and reporting processes.
Our funding processes are responsive, predictable and transparent, reducing uncertainty for community partners.
We preserve institutional memory of past community funding decisions and priorities to ensure continuity.
4. HONESTY
We acknowledge when we fall short of commitments to community and seek to repair harm.
Our funding priorities and actions consistently align with our public statements on equity and partnership.
We have systems in place for community verification of our claims, including our community investment and funding practices.
We provide clear pathways for community accountability when we fail to uphold commitments.
We openly share information about our investment portfolio, including where endowment assets are invested and how these align with community values.
5. COOPERATION
Community members hold decision-making power in health equity funding and investment governance structures.
We provide multiple forms of capital (grants, investments, loans, guarantees) based on community-determined needs.
Community partners are equal participants in problem-solving, priority-setting, and strategy development.
Institutional resources are treated as shared assets, not just institutional property.
We provide resources for communities to build their capacity for financial governance and investment decision-making.
6. RELIABILITY
Our commitments to community governance are embedded in policy, not just individual goodwill.
We ensure continuity of trust-based commitments even when staff or leadership change or during times of financial constraints
We have established multi-year participatory funding mechanisms that provide stable, flexible resources to community partners.
We communicate proactively about potential changes in funding or commitments.
7. BOUNDARIES
We collaboratively develop funding guidelines and decision-making to determine how institutional investments and assets align with community priorities and values
We have established processes for acknowledging past harms and taking corrective action.
We have established transparent criteria for who controls funding within our institution and regularly assess whether these governance structures reflect community priorities.
We regularly evaluate and adjust boundaries as relationships evolve.
8. FEEDBACK LOOPS
We provide multiple, accessible channels for community feedback related to our funding and investment practices and commitments
Our response to feedback is transparent, with clear timelines and accountabilities.
We support community-led evaluation of how our financial resources have impacted community priorities and health equity.
We have established mechanisms where community feedback directly influences institutional priorities for funding allocation with trackable outcomes.
There are meaningful consequences when community feedback is not adequately addressed.
Total
34-68
Extractive relationship requiring fundamental transformation
69-102
Early developmental stage with significant room for improvement
103-136
Emerging partnership with positive elements but key gaps
137-170
Strong foundation with opportunities to deepen authentic partnership
Provide Your Details to Access Your Full 8-Step Assessment Summary
1. WILLINGNESS
We have a formal infrastructure to enable community leadership in decision-making around our funding and investments.
A defined percentage of our health equity budget, grants, endowment, and/or investment assets are under community governance with commitments to increase the percentage over time.
We take institutional risks to resource community-identified priorities, even when they challenge the status quo.
Our commitment extends beyond funding cycles and one-time project investments, ensuring sustained support and relationship-building.
Total
2. DISCOVERY
We design early interactions with community related to institutional assets/funding to maximize mutual learning, not extract input.
We provide clear, low-risk opportunities to safely test boundaries and expectations regarding institutional funding
We prioritize listening over presenting in initial engagements to help shape our funding approaches
We provide clear mechanisms for pausing or resetting interactions with community partners
We proactively share detailed information about our financial structures, investment strategies, and decision-making processes early in community relationships.
Total
3. FAMILIARITY
We aim to foster long-term, consistent funding relationships rather than changing priorities with each funding cycle.
We reduce administrative burden on community partners through simplified, consistent application and reporting processes.
Our funding processes are responsive, predictable and transparent, reducing uncertainty for community partners.
We preserve institutional memory of past community funding decisions and priorities to ensure continuity.
Total
4. HONESTY
We acknowledge when we fall short of commitments to community and seek to repair harm.
Our funding priorities and actions consistently align with our public statements on equity and partnership.
We have systems in place for community verification of our claims, including our community investment and funding practices.
We provide clear pathways for community accountability when we fail to uphold commitments.
We openly share information about our investment portfolio, including where endowment assets are invested and how these align with community values.
Total
5. COOPERATION
Community members hold decision-making power in health equity funding and investment governance structures.
We provide multiple forms of capital (grants, investments, loans, guarantees) based on community-determined needs.
Community partners are equal participants in problem-solving, priority-setting, and strategy development.
Institutional resources are treated as shared assets, not just institutional property.
We provide resources for communities to build their capacity for financial governance and investment decision-making.
Total
6. RELIABILITY
Our commitments to community governance are embedded in policy, not just individual goodwill.
We ensure continuity of trust-based commitments even when staff or leadership change or during times of financial constraints
We have established multi-year participatory funding mechanisms that provide stable, flexible resources to community partners.
We communicate proactively about potential changes in funding or commitments.
Total
7. BOUNDARIES
We collaboratively develop funding guidelines and decision-making to determine how institutional investments and assets align with community priorities and values
We have established processes for acknowledging past harms and taking corrective action.
We have established transparent criteria for who controls funding within our institution and regularly assess whether these governance structures reflect community priorities.
We regularly evaluate and adjust boundaries as relationships evolve.
Total
8. FEEDBACK LOOPS
We provide multiple, accessible channels for community feedback related to our funding and investment practices and commitments
Our response to feedback is transparent, with clear timelines and accountabilities.
We support community-led evaluation of how our financial resources have impacted community priorities and health equity.
We have established mechanisms where community feedback directly influences institutional priorities for funding allocation with trackable outcomes.
There are meaningful consequences when community feedback is not adequately addressed.
Total
Total
34-68
Extractive relationship requiring fundamental transformation
69-102
Early developmental stage with significant room for improvement
103-136
Emerging partnership with positive elements but key gaps
137-170
Strong foundation with opportunities to deepen authentic partnership
