The Intersections Initiative, funded by the St. Joseph Fund and co-designed with PI, provides flexible funding and technical assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) and coalitions exploring the roles community partners can play in advancing upstream prevention.

The pillars of the Intersections approach are: 1) centering community-defined priorities, 2) applying an equity and racial justice lens, and 3) pursuing upstream, community-level impact. We build organizational and collaborative capacity so partners can align local strategies, strengthen resident leadership, and advance policy and systems change that address the root causes of health inequities. Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all model, we meet communities where they are—investing in shared analysis, trust-building, and long-term structural solutions. By pairing flexible funding with sustained technical assistance, we help communities shift from programmatic responses to durable systems transformation.

Another key feature of the Intersections approach is a dedicated planning period, during which partners explore priorities, engage community residents, clarify coalition roles and responsibilities, and build capacity through intentional trainings and peer learning opportunities. This planning period typically lasts 6-12 months and is followed by 2-3 years of implementation funding, during which partners continue strengthening collaborative capacity while advancing policy priorities.

As Intersections grows, we continue to center community leadership and power, advance health equity and racial justice, and support long-term policy and systems transformation across communities.