Aligning Community Health with Investment

Image of a doctor speaking with a patient in a hospital bed

The Carsey School of Public Policy’s Center for Impact Finance (CIF) has designed and delivered a series of regional convenings bringing together interdisciplinary teams from hospitals, CDFIs, and other community stakeholder groups to design strategies for promoting hospital investment in target communities.

Expansion in coverage and a shift in payment models from volume to value in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is driving a fundamental transformation in the health care delivery system. Hospital leaders increasingly recognize the need to engage stakeholders who can help address social and physical conditions that contribute to poor health. At the same time, there is a need for more focused engagement that builds shared knowledge and facilitates the design of strategies that link health sector programs, services, and activities with community development investments in specific communities. 

This new reality has led to an increasing awareness of the substantial contributions of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in facilitating investment in areas ranging from improved housing to grocery stores, child care centers, and small business development.