Systems Change

This change is one that is fully sustainable and not connected to grant funds or external expectations, but rather an organizational or cross-system priority to new policies, culture, communication or practices.

What does that really mean: The easiest way to describe systems change is to think of it as a policy change or practice change. Let’s take, for example, a state healthcare system and say it has seven (7) steps for any one person to be verified and become enrolled in the state healthcare system’s program. If through either internal policy changes or practice changes (efficiencies, no longer requiring specific documentation, referrals, etc.)  this system is updated to reduce the number of steps to two (2) steps, we would consider that systems change. Other examples may include creating coordinated systems where there previously were siloed approaches., changing unequitable practices, and more.

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.

1. Six Conditions of Systems Change
2. Understanding Systems to Change the World
3. Creating the Future – Change the Questions, Change the World!
4. Bay Area Health Inequities Initiative Framework 
5. Meeting Individual Social Needs Falls Short of Addressing Social Determinants of Health
6. The Spectrum of Prevention – Summary 
7. The Health Impact Pyramid
8. 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.