Community-Based Health Initiative Funding

BIDMC is excited to share the overarching evaluation findings from the first cohort of Boston grantees:

Prepared by an independent evaluator Health Resources in Action (HRiA), hired by BIDMC, this executive summary highlights the demographics of participants reached, the number of services delivered, and the impact achieved across the three priority areas of housing affordability, jobs and financial security, and behavioral health.

Together with BIDMC’s community partners, we reached more than 2,850 individuals, delivering meaningful impact, including:

• Improvements in participants’ levels of housing satisfaction, control over their housing situation, and confidence in their ability to improve their housing situation.
• Progress towards housing policy change, including changes to the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program.
• Improvements in participants’ positive financial habits and behaviors, such as currently having a personal budget, spending plan, and/or financial plan.
• Improved or stabilized mental health symptoms and increased likelihood of seeking help for mental health symptoms.

See the detailed report for more information about the impact the grantees made.

• Increased knowledge of and confidence in accessing community resources for basic and social emotional needs.
• A higher likelihood of having someone to talk to about one's problem at the time of graduation.
• An improved ability to cope with difficult situations.

Read the final executive summary report for additional information.

• Building community leadership infrastructure, bridging social ties through a neighborhood-wide health fair and distribution of mini-grants, and disseminating a community resource guide in multiple languages (Healthy Bowdoin Geneva)
• Training resident leaders to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of the Fenway Cares program, creating authentic relationships between residents and organizations, and increasing financial well-being through financial coaching and case management (We’re Here for You: Fenway/Kenmore)
• Establishing three gardening brigades and collaborating on six public wellness events, which increased emotional wellness and confidence, social connection and residents, sense of belonging in Chinatown, and care for Chinatown (Chinatown HOPE)
• Hosting 29 women’s wellness events with over 700 attendees, collectively increasing knowledge of women’s health issues, increasing feelings of connectedness and belonging, and decreasing stigma (Chelsea Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative)

Second Cohort of Boston-based Cohort Grantees

In January 2024, BIDMC  announced that 10 local organizations and one City of Boston agency were selected to receive a total of $7.25M over three years in funding for initiatives addressing housing affordability, jobs and financial security and behavioral health.

This funding represents the final major investment out of a total of approximately $30 million dollars that have been allocated as part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Determination of Need (DoN) process for BIDMC's Klarman Building.

This second cohort of Boston-based grantees completed the three-month planning period, during which they created logic models and evaluation plans and finalized shared evaluation outcomes. The grantees continue to implement their programs and share program data to track progress.

Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative

After engaging with residents in their communities over the summer and early fall, collectives in Allston/Brighton, Mission Hill and Roxbury developed project proposals that aligned with resident-selected priorities.

• Allston/Brighton: The Allston Brighton Health Collaborative will develop and support a cohort of Allston-Brighton Connectors (ABCs) that understand information and service gaps, connect residents to resources and programming and work with residents around advocacy.
• Mission Hill: The Mission Hill Healthy Neighborhood Collaborative will implement intergenerational programming that will connect youth and older adults through activities that build a sense of belonging and interconnectedness among these different age groups.
• Roxbury: The Roxbury Collaborative for Affordable Housing, working alongside other agencies, will provide Roxbury residents with tools to advance rent control as a policy to address displacement and housing affordability.

On June 6, 2023, BIDMC released a second Request for Proposals (RFP) to fund the implementation of evidence-based and/or evidence-informed strategies in the areas of Housing Affordability, Jobs and Financial Security and Behavioral Health.

On June 15, 2023, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) celebrated the work of organizations with which it partners and supports through its Community Benefits program, including the Community Care Alliance (CCA) health center network and its Community-based Health Initiative. Over 250 people attended this community event at the new Klarman Building, including Board members, grantees, staff from CCA health centers, BIDMC staff and clinicians, and members of the community. View the presenters' digital posters from the event. 

Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative

In April 2023, BIDMC's Allocation Committee selected the final three Health Neighborhood Initiative Collectives focused on the Boston Neighborhoods of Allston/Brighton (Allston Brighton Health Collaborative), Mission Hill (Mission Hill Healthy Neighborhood Collective), and Roxbury (Roxbury Collaborative for Affordable Housing).

Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative

In April 2022, BIDMC selected the second cohort of Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative (HNI) collectives, focused on the Boston neighborhood of Chinatown (Chinatown HOPE (Health, Opportunities, Possibilities, Empowerment)) and the City of Chelsea (Chelsea HNI).

• Chinatown: Chinatown HOPE (Health, Opportunities, Possibilities, Empowerment) is comprised of neighborhood residents and representatives from organizations including Asian Community Development Corporation, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC), Chinatown Community Land Trust, Chinatown Main Street, Chinatown Resident Association, Chinese Progressive Association, Josiah Quincy Elementary School, and Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.
• Chelsea: Chelsea Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative is comprised of neighborhood residents and representatives from organizations including Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc. (CAPIC, Inc.), Chelsea Black Community, Chelsea Community Connections Coalition, Chelsea Police Department, City of Chelsea, GreenRoots, La Colaborativa, MGH Healthy Chelsea Coalition, ROCA, and The Neighborhood Developers.

Chelsea Grantee

In September 2022, BIDMC released a Request for Proposals to fund a Chelsea-based organization to implement evidence-based and/or evidence-informed strategies in the area of Housing Affordability. Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust was selected to receive the four-year grant.

First Cohort of Boston-based Grantees

In 2021, BIDMC's grantees completed their planned program planning period and some grantees have begaun program implementation. During the planning phase grantees met with BIDMC's independent evaluator, Health Resources in Action, and attended seven Evaluation Learning Collaboratives. The work completed during the planning phase will help grantees measure the level of impact their program has on their community.

Chelsea Grantee

BIDMC awarded funding a 3-year grant to La Colaborativa to address jobs and financial security for residents of the City of Chelsea. The funding will support job opportunities for youth.

Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative (HNI)

BIDMC selected the first two Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative collectives, focused on the Boston neighborhoods of Bowdoin/Geneva (Healthy Bowdoin Geneva) and Fenway/Kenmore (We’re Here for You: Fenway/Kenmore).

Healthy Bowdoin Geneva is comprised of neighborhoods residents and representatives from organizations including: Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets, Bowdoin Street Health Center, Cape Verdean Association of Boston, Catholic Charities Teen Center at Saint Peter's, Dorchester CARES Coalition, Dorchester Catholic Parishes, Dorchester Food Co-Op, Family Nurturing Center, Friends of Geneva Cliffs, Friends of Ronan Park, Greater Bowdoin Geneva Neighborhood Association, Meetinghouse Hill Civic Association, and UP Academy Dorchester School.

We're Here for You: Fenway Kenmore includes neighborhood residents and representatives from Audubon Circle Neighborhood Association, Fenway Alliance, Fenway Civic Association, Fenway Community Center, Fenway Community Development Corporation, Fenway Health, HallKeen Management, Northeastern University, Operation P.E.A.C.E., Wentworth Institute of Technology, and more.

In August 2020, BIDMC released a Community-based Health Initiative Request for Proposals (RFP) to fund the implementation of evidence-based and/or evidence-informed strategies in the areas of housing affordability, jobs and financial security, and behavioral health. BIDMC's Allocation Committee oversaw the transparent and competitive process to select the first cohort of non-profit organizations to fund. BIDMC also awarded funding to a behavioral health organization serving residents of the City of Chelsea. Visit the funded organizations page to learn more about our grantees.

Collected Input From Local Residents, Community Leaders & Other Key Informants on Health Priorities

BIDMC held public meetings in Allston/Brighton, Bowdoin/Geneva, Chinatown, Fenway/Kenmore, and Roxbury/Mission Hill in June 2019. At these meetings, residents shared their opinions and experiences and participated in small group discussions. BIDMC learned more about the community’s top health priorities, such as housing, education, access to care, mental health, and jobs and financial security. Some residents also expressed health priorities or concerns that were specific to their neighborhoods. The information shared with us guided the selection of health priorities to focus on.

Selected Health Priorities & Local Strategies for Funding

Using community feedback and existing research, the Community Advisory Committee voted on and approved four health priorities: housing affordability, jobs and financial security, behavioral health, and healthy neighborhoods. The Committee also approved related sub-priorities and funding percentages to be allocated.