RMHF is pleased to share this Regional Scan and Strategies for Community Engagement in Health, Housing and Community Development. This document was developed as part of the work conducted by the Invest Health RVA project. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Reinvestment Fund, Invest Health RVA was part of national network of 50 cities aimed at supporting community leaders to work together across the health and development sectors to help low-wealth communities thrive. In the Greater Richmond region, the Invest Health RVA team brought together a network of partners in community development, health care, philanthropy, and local government to support strategies for increasing and leveraging private and public investments in neighborhoods where residents face the greatest barriers to better health. The intent of these investments was to contribute to a thriving, equitable and vibrant Richmond region through active and effective community-driven engagement. RMHF serves as the fiscal and administrative agent for Invest Health RVA.
This document is also part of RMHF’s learning journey on how best to integrate and amplify community voices into our work. We believe we can better pursue our mission of an equitable and healthy Richmond region by listening to our communities, amplifying their voices and centering community in our work. This community engagement scan document provides background on community engagement through a literature review and annotated bibliography, case studies, a directory of community engagement efforts and recommendations on how to support community engagement efforts in our region. This is an early step for our learning. RMHF looks forward to using this document as starting point for conversations with partners and community on how best to support and amplify community voices to shape our region.