Collective Impact

working together in collective impact

“Collective impact is an approach whereby a group of organizations works together across sectors to a common agenda to address social problems, to achieve greater health impact. Collective impact is grounded in coalition action theory requiring multisector collaboration the premise that individual organizations are often unable to address complex issues and generate the desired outcomes alone.” (Pyke et al., 2024 Nutrition & Dietetics)

Collective impact initiatives implement the five conditions, outlined below, with equity practices incorporated throughout.

It starts with a common agenda, this means coming together to collectively define the problem and create a shared vision to solve it. It establishes shared measurement, tracking progress in the same way, allowing for continuous learning and accountability. It fosters mutually reinforcing activities, integrating the participants’ many different activities to maximize the end result.

Collective impact encourages continuous communications, building trust and strengthening relationships. And it has a strong backbone, having a team dedicated to aligning and coordinating the work of the group as a container for change.

coming together to achieve lasting impact in health equity

Shared Aspiration

Mutually Reinforcing Work

Shared Measurement

A common agenda or community aspiration—all participants in ACHP have a passionate, shared vision for change with a common understanding of the need with lived experiences

Here for Community

Shared Measurement

Mutually Reinforcing Work

Shared Measurement

Collecting data and measuring results consistently on indicators at the community level and across all member organizations helps ensure alignment in effort, accountability and learning from successes and failures through shared measurement systems as a coalition

Our Measurement Tools

Mutually Reinforcing Work

Community Engagement & Communication

Through high leverage, mutually reinforcing activities, ACHP initiatives depend on diverse stakeholder groups working together, not repeating the same activities but where our members thrive, taking on specific focus areas at which they excel, in a way that supports and is coordinated with the actions of others in collective impact

Active Project Initiatives

Community Engagement & Communication

Containers for Change with a Strong Backbone Support

Community Engagement & Communication

ACHP practices inclusive community engagement—through regular meetings and other agreed upon communication mechanisms like listening sessions—building trust, recognition and appreciation of efforts in genuine care

Containers for Change with a Strong Backbone Support

Through a backbone support organization or containers for change—a separate organization and skilled staffing serves as the coordinating foundation to the entire initiative and supports collaboration across members impartially

The Beautiful You

Containers for Change with a Strong Backbone Support

Together as a coalition through collective impact, we can develop sustainable community health with equity and love with a focus on you—all that makes you the beautiful you—your dietary preferences, lifestyle, and health goals

Connecting Health and Wellness in Community through Collective Impact

How do you get diverse stakeholders, each serving different communities and with its own unique mission and goals, moving together in pursuit of equity?

working together in collective impact