Systems Change
Community health challenges in Arizona are complex, involving issues such as healthcare access, community conditions, and disparities among communities throughout the state. When taken together, these root cause factors form intricate systems that produce the health inequities we see daily.
Systems change is an approach that influences these factors to create large-scale, long-term impacts on how these systems function and the outcomes they generate. As part of our mission to connect, support, and inform efforts to improve health in Arizona, Vitalyst Health Foundation is committed to supporting systems change approaches across the state. You can read about what systems change means in the Spark Report Understanding Systems Change.
We know it can sound confusing, so we hope the explanations and examples below help clarify some questions. If you still have questions, please email grants@vitalysthealth.org and we will be happy to answer questions or set up a time to meet with you to discuss further.
- John Harper, FSG CEO, Keynote on Systems Change at AZ Impact for Good 2024 Conference
- Understanding Systems Change Spark Report – Report by FSG in collaboration with Vitalyst
- The Water of Systems Change Report by FSG
- Understanding Systems to Change the World
- Creating the Future – Change the Questions, Change the World!
- Bay Area Health Inequities Initiative Framework
- Meeting Individual Social Needs Falls Short of Addressing Social Determinants of Health
- The Spectrum of Prevention – Summary
- The Health Impact Pyramid
- The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention
Health Equity Lens
Equity is a lens through which to view every opportunity, decision, or action. Using this lens means taking an approach to determining all strategies, both universal and focused.
Community Partnership
True partnership involves meaningfully engaging key stakeholders from the beginning, sharing ownership and decision-making, and creatively using existing community resources and assets.
Sustainability
Sustainability is the difference between funding a program and funding a project. The goal with Systems Change grants is to create lasting change, either through policy or practice, that is sustainable past the grant funding period.
Health Outcomes Focus
Health is at the root of what we do. These grants must clearly identify which health outcome(s) will be improved, including the population driving and benefiting from the change and the mechanism(s) for how the policy/practice change is improving the health outcome.
What is Systems Change? Interview with John Harper
After his keynote at AZ Impact for Good 2024 Conference, we sat down with John Harper of FSG to talk about systems change is and questions coalitions may have.
Systems Change Grants invest in efforts that positively address complex community health challenges and reduce structural and/or systemic gaps in health outcomes or opportunities.
Grants Process and Key Dates
- The Systems Change Grants Application deadline has passed for the 2024 – 2025 year. Notifications for applicants moving onto the next phase will be sent in late December 2024.
- Presentations for selected applicants January 27 – January 31, 2025
Grant Criteria
- Coalition Criteria
- Arizona-based coalition formed by 2+ organizations serving the state, the lead being an Arizona serving nonprofit or fiscally sponsored.
- All necessary partners are committed to achieving the systems change. The coalition has a history of working together and each partner can describe their role and responsibilities in achieving the systems change.
- Readiness is measured by favorable Wilder Assessment results completed by all core partners.
- Health Outcomes Criteria
- Identified community health issues focused on the intersections of the Elements of a Healthy Community.
- Coalition can clearly explain how the proposed change will positively impact community well-being.
- Systems Change Criteria
- Coalition can demonstrate planning already done to position the coalition’s success in accomplishing the proposed systems change within specified timeframes.
- Coalition can clearly describe the process of successfully achieving the systems change.
- Coalition can describe the readiness to embark on the systems change work.
- The systems change solution is project-oriented and endures after the grant period, not beginning or continuing programmatic efforts.
- Applying a Systems Change Lens Webinar Recording and Resources Webinar and Working Session
- Understanding Systems Change Spark Report
- Health Equity Criteria
- The coalition engages and benefits those most affected by the issue.
- Budget Criteria
- Three-year budget up to a total of $175,000.
- Budget and budget narrative is consistent with the proposed scope of work. See Budget Spreadsheet.
- The coalition has identified the total costs of the systems change and has a clear idea of other possible funding sources.
Award Amount
- Three-year awards
- Up to 175,000 total
Systems Change Information Session and Other Helpful Links for Systems Change Grants Applications
Vitalyst Systems Change Grant Information Session Recording
Systems Change Grant Information Session Slides
Systems Change Application Guide
Systems Change Grant Submission Portal
Systems Change Grant Budget Template
Vitalyst Partnership Discovery Form (Vitalyst staff will be available to discuss your systems change project/idea and answer any questions by scheduling a virtual appointment after completing the Discovery Form)