Quick Guide
Definition: Build trust with the community/residents through transparent and inclusive communication, respectful co-learning, and leveraging community expertise to inform equitable practices.
Why It Matters: Services and interventions for the community are best informed by the community ("nothing about us - without us - is for us"). Mutual partnerships between CBOs, residents, and government entities allow for beneficial exchange of information and services to improve community health at large.
Why It Matters: Services and interventions for the community are best informed by the community ("nothing about us - without us - is for us"). Mutual partnerships between CBOs, residents, and government entities allow for beneficial exchange of information and services to improve community health at large.
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Co-Design of Services for Health and Reentry (CO-SHARE) | This RAND study explores how Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) can be used to improve health and reentry services for individuals returning to the community from jail in Los Angeles County. Through a collaborative process involving returning citizens and service providers, the project identified four high-priority areas for system improvement, including the prerelease process and post-release service coordination. Lessons learned emphasize the importance of building trust, adapting facilitation methods to empower participants, and addressing underrepresentation of certain groups. The study demonstrates how place-based, co-designed partnerships can inform more equitable and responsive service systems. |
| Templates | Community Based Assessment: A Guide for HIV Prevention Workers | This guide provides HIV prevention workers with practical tools and strategies for conducting community-based assessments that inform effective, culturally responsive interventions. It emphasizes the importance of engaging community members throughout the assessment process to ensure relevance and trust. Key lessons include building relationships with local stakeholders, using both qualitative and quantitative data, and tailoring outreach to reflect the lived experiences of priority populations. The guide can serve as an example for public health workers in identifying community needs, assets, and gaps to do a variety of health equity work through inclusive, data-informed planning. |
| Templates | Community Mapping Introduction and Worksheet | This resource introduces Community Mapping as a grassroots organizing tool that helps communities gather accurate information about their own assets, challenges, and dynamics. The process is designed to mobilize community members and put them in a stronger position to represent themselves, rather than relying on external actors to define their needs. By fostering deep listening, inclusive communication, and long-term engagement, community mapping builds local capacity, strengthens solidarity, and supports sustainable, community-led change. |
| Templates | Community Engagement & Participation Checklist | Developed by PolicyLink, this outline identifies important components of an authentic and participatory community engagement process. Characteristics of participatory community change include trust, shared vision, partnerships with public agencies, capacity, and policy action. |
| Templates | Community Engagement Assessment Tool | This Community Engagement Assessment Tool serves as a guide to help grow an organization’s understanding of community engagement and define its intentions. Organizations can use this tool with staff and external partners to assess strengths and gaps. |
| Templates | Community Engagement Toolkit | This toolkit shares a series of tools for the development of an equitable and strategic community engagement plan. It includes tools for exploring areas in the spectrum of community engagement, asset-based community development, and capacity building. |
| Trainings | Community Engagement: The People's Approach to Improving Health and Social Outcomes | This course focuses on community participation and the active role of local health departments in community engagement methods. It includes a summary of case studies, best practices, and methods for fostering community discourse and participation, as well as for incorporating community involvement into public health practice. |
| Guides | Partnering with Community- Based Organizations for More Broad- Based Public Engagement | This webinar discusses rural health equity efforts in the state of Colorado and contains real-life examples of equity work. While this resource is Colorado-centric, it is a helpful introduction to the concept of rural health equity and multi-partner collaboration necessary when addressing inequities in small, rural communities. Rural Resource |
| Guides | Methods for Supporting Diverse Patient Engagement in a Diverse World | This interactive guide from the Canadian Institute of Health Research allows you to explore guides for consideratio for engaging with d/Deaf, disabled, rural and remote, LGBTQ2S+, and immigrant, refugee, racialized, and ethnocultural communities.ns |
| Guides | Community Engagement of African Americans in the Era of COVID-19: Considerations, Challenges, Implications, and Recommendations for Public Hea | African Americans, compared with all other racial/ethnic groups, are more likely to contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), be hospitalized for it, and die of the disease. Psychosocial, sociocultural, and environmental vulnerabilities, compounded by preexisting health conditions, exacerbate this health disparity. Interconnected historical, policy, clinical, and community factors explain and underpin community-based participatory research approaches to advance the art and science of community engagement among African Americans in the COVID-19 era. In this commentary, we detail the pandemic response strategies of the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center. We discuss the implications of these complex factors and propose recommendations for addressing them that, adopted together, will result in community and data-informed mitigation strategies. These approaches will proactively prepare for the next pandemic and advance community leadership toward health equity. |
| Frameworks | Mapping and Goal Setting Worksheet | The Making Space initiative offers a worksheet designed to support inclusive community engagement by helping practitioners identify and plan for equity-deserving groups and vulnerable communities. This tool guides users through a structured process of mapping local demographics, identifying barriers to engagement, and setting meaningful goals. It emphasizes intersectionality and encourages the use of both quantitative data and community insights. The worksheet includes planning prompts and a matrix to help users design strategies that reduce barriers and track progress. It is intended to be flexible and interactive—encouraging users to highlight, annotate, and adapt it to their specific context. Recommendations are included to help practitioners embed equity into their engagement practices and measure impact effectively. |
| Frameworks | Community Engagement Framework | This community engagement framework assesses the strengths of an organization instead of starting from a needs-based approach. Values in this framework include integrity, transparency, collaboration, equity, and self-reflection. |
| Articles | Using Public Deliberation to Set Priorities: The Case of COVID-19 Vaccine Access in New York City | The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a record number of deaths in the United States and tremendous economic and personal strain. During 2020, in anticipation of a vaccine to slow the spread of disease, local and state governments in the United States developed plans for vaccine prioritization, given a limited initial supply. Recognizing the challenges inherent in prioritization, the New York City (NYC) health department sought guidance from members of the public about the fairest approach to early-stage vaccine distribution. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Humboldt County Public Health | Humboldt County Public Health strives to build trust with the community through transparent and inclusive communication, respectful co-learning, and leveraging community expertise to inform equitable practices. The organization has varied examples of targeted instances of active partnership and engagement in specific programs and populations. They conduct focus groups, forums, and surveys for the community to give input on programs, projects, and experiences. Some coalitions and partnerships have more formal structures and requirements for incorporating community feedback. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Kern County Health Equity Plan | The Kern Health Equity Partnership was founded and formalized during the first year of CERI, bringing together trusted community leaders, champions, and partners across sectors, to share space in listening, collaborating and to ensure work is continuously meeting the needs of their communities. Their aim is to expand access to quality health and improved the overall health of all Kern County Residents. |
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trainings | Collective Impact Part 1: Common Agenda & Shared Measure | This training is part one of a two-part introductory series to the Collective Impact framework. Participants will gain an understanding of what collective impact is and how it can be used to advance public health initiatives. |
| Trainings | Collective Impact Part 2: Mutually Reinforcing Activities, Continuous Communication, & Backbone Support | Part two of a two-part introductory series to the Collective Impact framework, this training builds upon lessons of part one by learning about the last three conditions of the Collective Impact framework and mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support. |
| Webinars | Achieving Health Equity in Georgia: The Landscape of Health Disparities in Georgia- Engaging Communities in Solutions | This webinar from the Georgia Health Policy Center uses Georgia-specific examples to guide participants through a structured framework for organizing community engagement efforts and conducting a landscape analysis of community-based organizations (CBOs) and partners that can advance health equity. Participants explore persistent health disparities in Georgia—shaped by race, gender, identity, socioeconomic status, and geography—and learn from two real-world initiatives that center community engagement as a pathway to equity. The session equips attendees with practical strategies to strengthen partnerships, elevate resident voices, and build inclusive, equity-driven collaborations. |
| Guides | Let's Talk: Community Engagement for Health Equity | This guide explores the critical role of community engagement in advancing health equity. This resource outlines foundational concepts and principles of community engagement, emphasizing its importance in addressing the social determinants of health. Drawing from public health practice and literature, the guide highlights how meaningful engagement with communities—especially those experiencing health inequities—can inform more equitable policies and programs. It includes practical strategies, reflective questions, and real-world examples to support public health practitioners in embedding equity-focused engagement into their work. |
| Guides | Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR): A Strategy for Building Healthy Communities and Promoting Health through Policy Chang | Presented by PolicyLink and UC Berkeley, this guide combines lessons and best practices from around the country. Included are six case studies from California that share learned experiences, promising practices, sample resources, and tools to assist local leaders in planning their own CBPR inspired projects. |
| Guides | A Guide to Supporting Engagement & Resiliency in Rural Communities | While this guide is catered towards Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (MAP) process, concepts and strategies identified in this guide are relevant for rural communities. Provided are essential elements of successful engagement with rural communities, including trust and partnerships. Rural Resource |
| Guides | Community Tool Box: Building Leadership | The Community Tool Box, from the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas, presents a comprehensive toolkit focused on building leadership within community-based initiatives. This guide supports individuals and groups in developing leadership skills essential for advancing community health and equity. It outlines nine core leadership tasks—such as envisioning goals, affirming values, motivating others, and achieving unity—and provides practical strategies for assessing and strengthening leadership capacity. The resource includes planning tools, reflective questions, and models like the Community Leadership Corps to help organizations cultivate inclusive, effective leadership that reflects and serves the broader community. Recommendations are provided to guide leadership development at both individual and group levels. |
| Frameworks | Tulare County Community Engagement Framework | The Community Engagement Framework (CEF) recognizes the importance of community mobilization in collaboration with community partners and residents. It serves as a roadmap for building credible and trustworthy relationships with key community members. By implementing the Power Building strategies, efforts are guided on how to collaborate and share power among community members and stakeholders, strengthening the foundation for improved health outcomes. It is essential to acknowledge the different levels of engagement that occur both internally and externally within your respective organization. |
| Frameworks | Prevention Institute: Collaboration Multiplier | The Collaboration Multiplier is a framework and tool used for analyzing collaborative efforts across sectors. It is designed to serve as a starting point for understanding the contributions of different fields and for building effective interdisciplinary efforts through partnerships. |
| Articles | Co-designing a participatory evaluation of older adult partner engagement in the Mcmaster Collaborative for Health and Aging | "Engagement of patients and the public in health research is crucial for ensuring research relevance and alignment with community needs. However, there is a lack of nuanced evaluations and examples that promote collaborative and reflective learning about partnerships with partners. The aim of this paper is to provide a case example of a participatory evaluation of the engagement of older adult partners in an aging-focused research centre. We outline our process of co-planning and implementing an evaluation of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging’s engagement strategy through the use of multiple methods, including a standardized tool and qualitative approaches. The team chose to explore and capture the engagement experiences and perspectives of the older adult partners within the Collaborative using a survey (the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool (PPEET)), an art-based method (photovoice), and a focus group." |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency Committee Interest Letter | Community Engagement Tulare County Public Health Branch has streamlined recruitment for its advisory councils and coalitions by creating standardized recruitment materials. These materials clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations for those interested in supporting the work of the Public Health Branch. Additionally, a Community Engagement Framework has been developed to guide staff on fostering collaboration with the community. |
| 2024 CA LHJ Examples | Amador County: Collaborating with CBOs for Equity | Amador County Public Health (ACPH) is prioritizing collaboration and the strengthening of its partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs). As part of this effort, it developed an advisory committee comprised of CBO partners and stakeholders to provide insights throughout the Community Health Assessment (CHA) process. In Fall 2024, ACPH hosted its second annual community-wide health fair, focused on community building and resource sharing, with participation from 35 partner agencies, which included a wide-range of partners serving local residents, including First 5 Amador, Nexus Youth and Family Services, local fire agencies, Anthem Blue Cross, Sutter Amador Hospital, Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council, Amador County Commission on Aging, California Tribal TANF, Sierra Wind, and many more. |
| 2024 CA LHJ Examples | Imperial County: Collaborating for Equity | The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD) actively engages community-based organizations (CBOs) and partners through ongoing collaboration efforts. The Health Equity and ICT teams worked closely with CBOs to gather feedback that informed improvements to the COVID-19 dashboard. ICPHD also ensures regular CBO participation in Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) workgroups and the Learning Exchange Group, both of which help identify and respond to emerging community needs. In addition, ICPHD consulted CBOs during the Language Access RFP process to ensure the program effectively addresses the community’s linguistic needs, with CBO representatives also serving on the interview panel. These efforts strengthen relationships and promote inclusive, community-informed public health initiatives. For a copy of the Language Access RFP appendix documents, please feel free to reach out to us at ICPHD-EquityProgram@co.imperial.ca.us. |
| 2024 CA LHJ Examples | Shasta County: Building Relationships with Residents | The Tobacco Education Program (TEP) is noted for its strong engagement, and the Community Food and Health Leadership (CFHL) program is actively working to build relationships with residents to address issues related to physical activity, nutrition, and transportation, particularly in low-income areas. Overall, the Branch demonstrates moderate capacity in community engagement, depending on the Program. Staff are recognized for their effective work with community members, including focus groups in Shasta Lake City, efforts with older adults, and ongoing collaborations with local leaders across various sectors. These activities reflect a commitment to transparent and inclusive communication, respectful co-learning, and leveraging community expertise to inform equitable practices. |
| Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Lake County, IL Builds Internal and External Bridges | The Lake County, Illinois, Health Department’s Health Equity Team facilitates relationships with community, agency, and business partners and builds internal and external awareness to improve the social conditions that determine health. Activities included taking the NACCHO Roots of Inequity Course, a bus reality tour for leadership, and piloting a social determinants of health assessment tool. |
| Webinars | Shifting power: Understanding community building for health equity | Recognizing that structural racism, sexism, and other structural marginalization as the root cause of health inequities is a major step forward in the field of health equity. However, it is not enough. Efforts to make changes on the structural level require shifts in power that center the views, experiences, and desires of the communities that experience harm. Understanding and collaboration across multiple sectors are needed to build community power to affect change. This webinar showcased work that uplifts the idea that building power in communities is key to changing structural drivers of health inequities and health equity. Audience members left with a renewed understanding of the role of power inequities and approaches to shifting power. |
| Guides | Build Healthy Places Network: Guide to Racial Healing | The Build Healthy Places Network offers a guide that centers on racial healing as a foundational practice for advancing health equity and community well-being. This resource explores how cross-sector partnerships—particularly those between community development and public health—can incorporate racial healing into their work to address structural racism. Drawing from real-world examples and practitioner insights, the guide outlines key principles, practices, and tools to support organizations in fostering trust, repairing harm, and building authentic relationships with communities. It includes actionable recommendations to help institutions move from intention to impact in their racial equity journeys. |
| Frameworks | The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership | The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership charts a pathway for strengthening and transforming local democracies. Leaders across multiple sectors such as CBOs, local governments, and philanthropic partners, can use this spectrum to assess and advance community engagement efforts. |
| 2023 CA LHJ Examples | Marin County Public Health Community Resilience Teams | Established within Public Health, during the pandemic, Marin County Public Health’s commitment to equitable response spurred the creation of Community Response Teams, which in the recovery phase have become Community Resilience Teams. These teams are now leading community engagement to address public health priorities, including access to services, community preparedness, and climate action. Notably, in 2023, Community Resilience Teams' Lead Agencies were onboarded as full voting members of Healthy Marin Partnership; a healthcare collaborative that has evolved into a community collaborative to achieve health equity. Community members now inform and guide public health strategies, including the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and healthcare workforce development. |