EHF's Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative (CHCI) aims to strengthen existing health-focused coalitions and collaborative efforts by improving their effectiveness, leadership, and sustained ability to take action in improving health.
EHF understands that complex health challenges in our communities often can’t be solved by one organization alone. We need strong cross-sector collaborative efforts in order to improve health at the population and community levels. For that reason, we have launched CHCI as a resource to strengthen the effectiveness and impact of existing health-focused collaboratives in our region.
Join the Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative 2025–2026 Cohort!
Applications open June 13, 2025
Applications due by July 13, 2025
In alignment with our Priorities for Change, this year’s CHCI cohort will be open to collaboratives and coalitions working on Maternal Health, Food & Nutrition Security, or Diabetes Prevention. Collaboratives and coalitions that are working on at least one of these issues within EHF’s service area are encouraged to apply for this capacity building offering.
If you or your collaborative is interested in learning more about this 12-month, cohort-based program, join us for our Lunch & Learn webinars taking place this June where we’ll share more about EHF’s three Priorities for Change, specifics about CHCI, answer questions, and offer support for your applications.
What to Expect
- Access to coaching from knowledgeable, experienced resources throughout the 2025-26 CHCI cohort
- 12-month commitment; cohort gathers in-person for two events (kickoff & reunion), other sessions with cohort occur virtually
- Technical assistance to strengthen community engagement efforts [NEW!]
- Opportunities to consult and network with other coalitions in Texas focused on maternal health, diabetes prevention, or food & nutrition security [NEW!]
- Four content-focused webinar sessions covering EHF’s Pillars of Collaboration (Shared Purpose, Shared Leadership, Strategic Action, Sustainability) with assigned reading, guest speakers, and questions for discussion
- Opportunity for real-world application with financial support
- Hear from practitioners, funders, and researchers focused on these issues
- Pre- and post-program self-assessment (AACT) to better understand your coalition’s strengths and opportunities
Cohort Eligibility
Coalitions and collaboratives* that can be described by all of the following statements meet the criteria required to apply:
- The collaborative is made up of at least 2 organizations that have been collaborating for at least a year.
- The coalition’s work impacts at least one of the 81-counties in EHF’s service area.
- The collaborative’s work is focused on maternal health, diabetes prevention, or food & nutrition security.
- The collaborative has a challenge the group wants to collectively address and improve.
- The coalition has a “core team” of 5-8 collaborative members who can participate in each activity on the CHCI 2025-26 timeline (not required to apply but strongly encouraged for participating coalitions).
*Note: we use the terms “coalition” and “collaborative” interchangeably and define both as a group of separate organizations working together with a common interest.
How do I know if CHCI is a good fit for me?
If your collaborative or coalition meets our eligibility criteria stated on the CHCI 2025 tab, this cohort of CHCI was designed for you.
My collaborative’s work is not focused on EHF’s Priorities for Change but we were looking forward to participating in the next cohort after hearing good things from previous participants. Can we still apply for CHCI this year?
No, this year’s cohort is specifically focused on groups that are concentrating their work on Maternal Health, Diabetes Prevention, and Food & Nutrition Security. If future cohorts have a different focus than our Priorities for Change, we will be sure to share the opportunity with those subscribed to our Igniting Change newsletter.
My coalition participated in a previous CHCI cohort. Are we eligible to apply for this one?
No, previous participants of CHCI cannot participate again. However, we encourage you to stay in touch with our team and refer other groups that would find participating valuable.
Can I apply if I'm already a grantee with EHF?
Yes. Current EHF grantees can apply for CHCI if they meet the criteria, but no priority or preference will be given to a current/past grantee over any other application we receive.
Can I be part of another capacity building program & CHCI at the same time?
No. CHCI is time-intensive and we realize resources are limited in the capacity building space for collaboratives. At this time we are prioritizing groups that are not participating in other forms of capacity building and we applaud you for continuing to invest in opportunities to better your work.
I’m not part of a collaborative but can my organization participate in this capacity building offering?
No. We appreciate your interest, but CHCI is designed specifically for collaboratives and coalitions – groups of 2 or more organizations working together with a common interest.
I see that during the cohort there are four webinars scheduled. How long do those typically last?
The four Pillar webinars last two hours each. An invite to each webinar will be shared with the core team members in the cohort after we launch.
Are the webinars during the cohort open to the public?
No. The webinars for the 2025-26 are only open to the coalitions and collaboratives involved in this year’s cohort.
Where do the four pillars of collaboration come from?
In our work with collaboratives and coalitions at EHF over the last decade, four topics are consistently cited most as what leads to a coalition’s success or limited effectiveness. Those are the four pillars of collaboration: shared purpose, shared leadership, strategic action, and sustainability.
Who from my coalition should be part of my core team?
Each participating coalition will designate a core team of 5-8 individuals to take part in the activities of the cohort. We recommend (1) coalition coordinator, (2) a representative from the backbone or lead organization who has decision-making power, (3-6) representatives from participating organizations that are highly engaged in the coalition work. (Note: we recommend individuals with decision-making power participate in the core team so the ideas and learnings from the cohort are more likely to be adopted by the coalition and individual organizations. We encourage coalitions to make the process for selecting their core team members transparent and collaborative, making clear that it’s the responsibility of the core team to take lessons learned and discussion from the cohort back to their larger coalition for shared understanding.
When will we know whether or not we’re in this year’s CHCI cohort?
After reviewing applications, we plan to extend invitations to collaboratives and coalitions in mid-August (approximately August 12-15, 2025).
Our collaborative already has an assessment, do we need to do this one too?
Yes. It’s great to know you’ve already completed an assessment as a collaborative, and we ask that each group that participates in the cohort complete the Assessment for Advancing Community Transformation (AACT) for the sake of shared language throughout the cohort experience.
Aside from the kickoff, webinars, and reunion, are there other meetings or events that cohort participants are expected to attend?
A great deal of time in CHCI will be invested outside of the webinars and the in-person kickoff and reunion. Most of that time is not listed explicitly on the timeline since it would be scheduled (typically monthly) between a collaborative and their coach. These meetings outside of your time with the cohort are what help to bridge groups from the “theory” of the 4 pillars of collaboration covered in the 4 webinars, to application to your collaborative’s specific context through discussion, reflection, trial, and error.
June 13, 2025
Cohort Applications Open
12:00 p.m. CST Lunch & Learn Webinar: Maternal Health
June 18, 2025
12:00 p.m. CST Lunch & Learn Webinar: Diabetes Prevention
June 27, 2025
12:00 p.m. CST Lunch & Learn Webinar: Food & Nutrition Security
July 13, 2025
Cohort Applications Close
July 23, 2025 - August 1, 2025
Follow-up Calls with Applicants
August 12-15, 2025
CHCI 2025-26 Cohort Announced
August 22, 2025
Online Orientation
September 8-30, 2025
Assessment for Advancing Community Transformation (AACT, in-person)
October 17, 2025
CHCI 2025-26 Kickoff (in-person)
November 7, 2025
Pillar 1 Webinar: Shared Purpose
December 12, 2025
Pillar 2 Webinar: Shared Leadership
January 16, 2026
Pillar 3 Webinar: Strategic Action
February 27, 2026
Pillar 4 Webinar: Sustainability
March-July, 2026
Real-world application with coaching & financial support
May 1, 2026
Cohort check-in
August 2026
CHCI 2025-26 Reunion (in person)
Reflections from the 2022 CHCI Cohort
Registry of Coalitions
An important part of the Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative is to identify current health-focused coalitions and other community collaboratives that are working across EHF’s 80-county service area. The goal is to create a coalition registry and database that will be shared as a resource to communities to help improve health across Texas.
