Georgia Health Initiative (formerly the Healthcare Georgia Foundation)
- Project Title: The Two Georgias Initiative
- Program Contact: Kristy Klein Davis
- Location: Atlanta, GA
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Program Overview: Georgia Health Initiative is a statewide private, independent
initiative that seeks to enable, improve, and advance the health and well-being of all Georgians. The
Initiative created The Two Georgias Initiative (TGI) to address deep health disparities between
rural and urban areas in the state, where 9 of the 10 counties with the lowest health rankings are rural.
TGI funds 11 rural coalitions with the ultimate goal of achieving greater health equity among rural
Georgians by eliminating health disparities. Other program goals include building healthier communities,
addressing the social determinants of health, and building capacity within individuals, organizations, and
communities to improve health.
During Phase 1 of TGI, rural coalitions spent one planning year determining a governance structure, developing community health partnerships, and creating a Community Health Improvement Plan. Phase 1 encouraged coalitions to plan for sustainability and work toward community ownership of their projects at the end of the grant period. During Phase 2 of TGI, coalitions implemented the strategies in their Community Health Improvement Plan with the assistance of technical assistance providers. Georgia Health Initiative engaged community health coaches and health equity facilitators to help with coalition development and capacity building. In 2021, the TGI coalitions entered Phase 3, a bridge year that focused on evaluation and sustainability.
Read about how Georgia Health Initiative (formerly the Healthcare Georgia Foundation) is also addressing equity through CDFI Investments in the Rural Health Models and Innovations section.