In 2020, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded six grants to organizations across the country seeking to make transformative change in their regions related to community health.
The goal of the Community Voices for Health Monroe County (CVHMC) initiative, located in Bloomington, Indiana (Monroe County), was to design and test approaches that incorporate strong voice from marginalized groups in decisionmaking that affects health. This was a multifaceted and substantial project involving many cross-sector partners, including a significant number of local community members and leaders. This toolkit is designed to assist anyone with an interest in improving decision-making in their community to make it more equitable, inclusive, and participatory. While this initiative was focused on health, the principles apply to virtually any decision-making or policy-setting process. UNCG members at Indiana University at the Program on Political and Civic Engagement and the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs serve as partners with CVHMC.