SHAPING CHANGE

Capacity Building

Illinois Public Health Institute’s strategic guidance expands the skills, infrastructure, and impact of public health systems and organizations in our state and beyond.

Our Expertise

With a specialty in inclusive, community-focused capacity building, IPHI has offered customized support for more than 50 local, regional, and state health assessments.

Nationally recognized for our training and capacity-building resources, we have supported health departments and multi-sector collaboratives to achieve a wide variety of performance improvements. We specialize in inclusive, trauma-informed facilitation, and we use models like learning collaboratives and Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), an education-based network for community healthcare providers.

IPHI Capacity Building in Practice

Active Transportation in Central and Southern Illinois

Through the Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition (ISPAN) program, IPHI supported volunteer teams focused on safer routes for active transportation in Murphysboro and Mendota, Illinois. In Murphysboro, SPAN partner Active Transportation Alliance guided volunteers in their audit of 125 miles of sidewalks, documenting issues, and sharing recommendations that led to the pouring of new sidewalks. In Mendota, IPHI, in partnership with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) supported a team conducting an assessment, creating an action plan, securing Illinois Transportation Enhancement Funds, and establishing a bicycle/pedestrian path linking two sides of town.

Trinity Health Transforming Communities Initiative

IPHI’s work with Trinity Health includes coaching and tools to support nine communities with strategic planning for community-led policy and systems change. We also provide individual support for multi-sector collaboratives in three communities—Fresno, California; Wilmington, Delaware; and Waterbury Connecticut. We help the collaboratives advance from community engagement to ownership and identify and strategically address the root causes of health and racial inequities.

Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (IPLAN)

IPHI offers training, technical assistance, and resource guide development to support Illinois local health departments in their implementation of IPLAN, a community health assessment and community health improvement plan. We designed resources such as a workbook, webinars, and other tips and tools for IPLAN development, implementation, and monitoring.

River Bend Food Bank

With support from Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition (ISPAN), IPHI co-designed a community engagement strategy for the River Bend Food Bank, which reaches 23 counties in eastern Iowa and western Illinois. We helped the organization conduct surveys and convene advisory committees that included food pantry guests and staff as well as agency-, healthcare-, and community partners. The food bank has now changed their policy around procurement in order to offer food that is more aligned with guests’ nutrition and cultural preferences.