Dear Invest Health city team members and friends,
In these times of pandemic recovery and resilience, it’s great to lean on friends, and in our Invest Health case, our cross-sector collaborators. The evolution of the Invest Health learning network continues to focus forward and lift up each other’s successes, while putting our heads together around our challenges. Those reflections are front of mind as sixteen of the city teams prepare to implement their Collaboration Grant activities, and for many, reconnect face to face for the first time in a long time. We’ll look forward to sharing the learnings in the months forthcoming, so stay tuned.
Our collaborations have always gone beyond the city teams themselves, to other aligned initiatives and organizations seeking to improve health and equity in communities. Our recent Equitable Uses of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding webinar with NLC helped amplify resources and great examples of how cities are using funds to promote equity in communities (to watch the recording, click here).
Most importantly, we hope that the intentional building of trusted, long-term relationships within and across city teams are reflect the same intention with those impacted most in communities. Share with us how your city team is centering resident voice and power in sustaining collaborations by emailing us at info@investhealth.org.
In partnership,
Jennifer Fassbender and the Invest Health Program Team |
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OPPORTUNITIES
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BUILD 4.0 Application Launch
[Funding Opportunity]
Good health is the foundation from which all communities thrive, but not everyone in America is afforded the opportunity to achieve their optimal level of health.
For its new fourth cohort, The BUILD Health ChallengeⓇ (BUILD) is looking to support up to 19 innovative community collaboratives from across the United States that are ready to put Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, Data-Driven plans into action. With a specific focus on strengthening partnerships between community-based organizations, hospitals and health systems, health plans, local health departments, and residents, BUILD awards are designed to support collaborations working to address upstream challenges and drive sustainable improvements in community health.
Be a part of the shared journey to health equity. Starting May 3rd, apply to join the next BUILD cohort.
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Fourth Annual Jeremy Nowak Memorial Lecture: Investing in Arts and Culture to Build Community
[Webinar Recording]
Reinvestment Fund host's an annual lecture series which aims to highlight Jeremy Nowak’s enduring work to integrate public, private, and non-profit expertise to achieve collective urban prosperity. This lecture series gives students and professionals the opportunity to hear from experts on topics that manifest the connections between the academic and the applied aspects of urban development. This year, the discussion focused on the complementarity of arts, cultural activity, and community development. To view the recording, click here.
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Building for Digital Equity: Demystifying Broadband Policy and Funding
[Webinar Recording]
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance teamed up with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance for a two-hour, fast-paced webinar on the ways communities can accomplish digital equity goals called Building for Digital Equity: Demystifying Broadband Policy and Funding. The webinar was packed with speakers providing practical, easy-to-understand advice and a wonderful audience full of questions and additional information. To watch the recording, access resources, and provide feedback, click here.
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The Root Cause Coalition: National Summit on the Social Determinants of Health
[Conference]
The Root Cause Coalition’s (TRCC) National Summit is scheduled for October 2-4, 2022, in Minneapolis. You’ll hear from leading health equity experts who will share best practices, collective lessons learned, innovative ways to lead and design programs and policy. Spend time networking with colleagues and others who share TRCC’s common mission to address social determinants and work towards achieving health equity. An agenda will be released soon and registration is open. Click here to register today and save 15% with early bird registration.
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RESOURCES
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NLIHC Releases "The Gap": Millions of the Nations Lowest-Income Renters Struggle to Afford Homes
The National Low Income Housing Coalition has released its annual report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, finding the lowest-income renters in the U.S. face a shortage of approximately 7 million affordable and available rental homes. Drawing on multiple data sources, the report documents how the pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis for the lowest-income renters. The report examines both short- and long-term policy interventions needed to address the immediate housing impacts of the pandemic and the underlying shortage of affordable housing. Read the report here.
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County Health Rankings Releases New Data
 County Health Rankings released new measures, strategies and reports on Wednesday, April 27 th. For more than a dozen years, County Health Rankings' data, evidence, guidance and stories have shown how a wide range of factors influence how long and how well we live. They have added seven new measures this year related to income, education, family and social support, and health outcomes. There is now also a curated list of evidence-informed strategies to close the racial wealth divide and support a just recovery from the pandemic.
To access the new data, click here. To watch a recording of a webinar previewing new data, website features, and their newly launched podcast, In Solidarity, click here.
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Welcome to Your Friendly Neighborhood Mental Health Center
While communities often see large mental health facilities as a threat, one Kansas City neighborhood is discovering it can be an asset. Anne Kniggendorf of Next City writes on the Strawberry Hill mental health facilities that have brought a multitude of benefits to the surrounding community. To read more about the project and its interaction with the surrounding neighborhood, click here.
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How can 'Sponge Cities' Use Nature to Tackle Climate-Fueled Floods?
The newest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) urges cities to take protective measures now. A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based study compares cities' trees and lakes to how much concrete they have, to gauge their ability to respond to climate shocks. A sponge city is used to describe urban areas with abundant natural areas or other good design intended to absorb rain and prevent flooding. To read the entire Next City article on sponge cities, click here.
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In Solidarity: Connecting Power, Place and Health
 County Health Ranking and Roadmaps have released a new podcast, In Solidarity. A six-episode series on the racial wealth gap is already available. Hosts Ericka Burroughs-Girardi and Beth Silver interview authors, activists and scientists to investigate the history of the racial wealth divide, its insidious and far-reaching implications for the health of Black Americans in particular, and the evidence-based solutions that could close the divide. Each discussion centers on how our lives and fates are interconnected and what that means for improving health and well-being for everyone. Access the podcast here.
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CITY TEAM NEWS
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City of Tallahassee's Southside Farmers Market opens for Fifth Season
 The City of Tallahassee’s Southside Farmers Market is back for its fifth season! Focused on serving the nearby community, the market provides easy access to fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, seafood and more from local farmers.
The market offers a variety of integrated programs and wrap-around services, as well, to promote holistic health and wellness. Thanks to community partners, free screenings and nutrition education are routinely available on site. Cooking demonstrations are held to showcase healthy ways to prepare produce and goods available at the market.
The Southside Farmers Market is coordinated by the City with support from a collaborative network of local residents, community partners and local healthcare providers, including Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH), Florida A&M University, CarePoint Health & Wellness, Neighborhood Medical Services, Bond Community Health Care Center, Whole Child Leon, Florida Department of Health – Leon County, University of Florida/IFAS, Tallahassee Food Network, Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Invest Health and others. To learn more about the market and their impacts, click here or here.
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Napa County Announces $9 Million Investment in ADU Development, Proximity Housing
The Napa County Board of Supervisory voted on April 19th to make a historic investment in affordable housing programs. Of the $9 million being invested, $7 million comes from the county's American Rescue Plan allocation and $2 million from the Affordable Housing Fund.
The Invest Health Napa team has been learning about and collaborating around accessory dwelling units for years. In collaboration with the Grand Rapids team, representatives from Napa will be going to Portland this summer to learn more about ADU financing. To read the full press release on Napa County's ADU investment, click here.
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Keep Sharing Updates
Keep sharing updates on your work, including special events and news media pieces to us by emailing info@investhealth.org. We look forward to hearing from you and the notable news your Invest Health city team is creating! |
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