Collective Impact as a Sustainability Tactic

Collective impact is a method of addressing change at the Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) levels. It engages invested partners from a variety of sectors who collectively work toward a common goal. A collective impact approach supports sustainability of early childhood health promotion programs because the message is reinforced in multiple environments, which provides consistency and repetition. The SCOPE initiative engages community partners like schools, businesses, and healthcare providers to help children make healthier choices.

Collective impact partners work together to achieve the same fundamental goal. However, different sectors may receive financial support from different funders, which likely have different fiscal cycles and sustainability guidelines. For these reasons, it is important to engage champions from each partner or sector in early conversations about sustainability to ensure all partners are working toward a common sustainability plan. Early involvement will also encourage investment and engagement in the early childhood health promotion program.

Resources to Learn More

3M: Healthy Communities Toolkit
Website
A toolkit dedicated to creating and sustaining healthy communities from a systems perspective. Developed by mayors of towns and cities across Arkansas, who played a critical role in making community-wide changes to improve access to healthy food and physical activity, and promote healthy worksites.
Organization(s): Mayor Mentoring Mayors, Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention

Partnering4Health: Approaches to Sustaining Healthy Communities
Tutorial/Training
An online course providing information and resources for developing and implementing policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to improve health and the quality of life for all. Describes key steps to enhance capacity and sustainability of local health-related programs.
Organization(s): Society for Public Health Education
Date: 2017

Reducing Childhood Obesity through Policy Change: Acting Now to Prevent Obesity
Document
Discusses a multi-sectoral policy framework to reduce childhood obesity. Includes suggestions on policies to improve nutrition and to increase physical activity.
Author(s): Frieden, T.R., Dietz, W., & Collins, J.
Citation: Health Affairs, 29(3)
Date: 3/2010

Rural Childhood Obesity Prevention Toolkit
Document
Provides background information on obesity in rural America and describes policy options to address physical activity and healthy eating.
Author(s): Rockeymoore, M., Moscetti, C., & Fountain, A.
Organization(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Leadership for Healthy Communities
Date: 10/2014