Advancing equity and building community leadership: Lessons from the northwest convergence partnership

In 2009, the national Convergence Partnership issued an RFP inviting proposals from local and regional foundations to advance equity-driven policy and environmental change strategies to improve opportunities for healthy eating and active living. The Northwest Health Foundation developed and submitted a proposal with the Coalition of Communities of Color (an umbrella organization representing more than 40 culturally-specific organizations in Portland, Oregon), requesting $200,000 to fulfill community aspirations for healthier environments and policies. This grant – coupled with more than $400,000 in matching funding from NWHF and six other regional funders – allowed the foundation to support seven organizations to improve built environments, transportation infrastructure and access to healthy foods.

From the beginning, this pooled fund was governed by the communities who have been most affected by the lack of access to healthy opportunities. This advisory board – led by leadership from the Coalition – wrote the RFP, determined the eligibility criteria, contributed to outreach strategies, selected funded proposals and contributed to the evaluation framework. This level of community ownership of philanthropic resources helped ensure that the strategies that were funded truly represented community priorities, and built the power and voice of communities of color in local policy making domains that had not adequately included their perspectives.

As a result of the advocacy supported by the Convergence Partnership Fund at NWHF, several planning and transportation policy frameworks included equity as an explicit goal, and the HEAL advocacy field in the metropolitan Portland area became more inclusive and representative of all communities.