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Since 1997, Community Science has been recognized for its expertise and knowledge in the development, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive community and other large systems change initiatives. We know that comprehensive community initiatives (CCIs) must develop an infrastructure that enables community institutions to support initiative goals. To engage a community at the level needed for comprehensive change, organizations must have the capacity to address community needs and promote well-being. Community…

Ending health disparities means addressing its social determinants or attacking the problem at its roots where people live, work, and play. This means changing the conditions in communities of color that affect their health. This approach also requires changing the systems that impact these conditions. Five coinciding capacities are essential for beginning the process of changing communities and systems: Understanding of the connection between health disparities and social justice; Ability…

Achieving health equity requires building communities' capacity to mobilize, organize, and strategize to change the conditions-or social determinants of health-that impact their well-being. Community and resident-driven organizations need data to 1) bring attention to the disparities and move people into action, 2) understand the root causes and organize across sectors to deal with those root causes, 3) inform solutions that will create lasting change, and 4) monitor the change to…

The number of smoke- and tobacco-free colleges has more than tripled since 2010, when 446 campuses adopted smoke- or tobacco-free policies. Today that number stands at 1,577 campuses, yet the majority of the federally recognized Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. do not have comprehensive smoke- or tobacco-free policies to protect their students and faculty from the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. Truth Initiative (formerly…

Programs designed to enhance opportunities for young people and adults from historically underrepresented groups in professions such as teaching, engineering, evaluation, medicine, and nursing play a major role in our nation's response to workforce diversity (see, for example, Collins & Hopson, 2014; Fenwick, 2001; Greer, Clark, & Bankston, 2015; Nivet & Berlin, 2014). This article discusses why such programs are necessary and what it takes to institutionalize workforce diversity without…

Creating a Culture of Measurement and Evaluation for High Performance Nonprofits On May 14, 2015, Community Science Principal Associate Meg Hargreaves, Ph.D., M.P.P., presented at the 7th Civil Society Days Nirun Sahingiray International Forum II titled Measurement and Evaluation in NonProfit Organizations in Istanbul, Turkey. The international conference was organized by the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey in collaboration with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Kadir…