Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Boston Children’s investing funds in the community?
Boston Children’s community mission is to improve the health and well-being of children and families in our local community. The hospital leverages its resources with community partners to address health disparities, improve child health outcomes and enhance the quality of life for children and families. We have a unique opportunity to build on our longstanding history of partnering with the community. Boston Children’s received approval for its building project through a state program called Determination of Need (DoN). This program is administered through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH). Approval is required for all health care facilities that make a substantial capital expenditure. One requirement is that the applicant creates a plan to spend 5 percent of the maximum capital expenditure ($53 million in this case) on a Community Health Initiative (CHI). Given our role as a leading advocate for children, Boston Children’s will use these funds to improve the health and well-being of children and families, both locally and statewide.
How much funding is available?
Boston Children’s will invest $53.4 million over the next 10 years to improve the health of children and families to fulfill its CHI — Boston Children’s Collaboration for Community Health.
What are the priority areas for funding?
How were the areas determined? In 2016, Boston Children’s assembled a Community Advisory Committee to secure input from a wide-range of parents, youth, other community residents, as well as organizations, agencies and leaders who work closely with children and families and who could help us to better understand how these funds could be used to impact racial, ethnic, health and health care disparities. Making use of this feedback, the Community Advisory Committee identified four priority areas for funding.
- children’s behavioral/mental health
- stable and affordable housing
- systems of support for infants, children, youth, and families
- healthy and safe communities
Because some members of the Community Advisory Committee are likely to apply for the funds, the committee agreed to disband once the priority funding areas were identified. In the summer of 2017, Boston Children’s convened a Strategic Funding Committee to make decisions about how funds will be distributed. Members included parents and other community members and representatives of community organizations and agencies not seeking funds. The Committee also included individuals knowledgeable about the four priority areas and representatives from Boston Children’s, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Boston Public Health Commission. Parents and community residents have been active members of both the Community Advisory Committee and the Strategic Funding Committee to ensure that the community voice continues to be represented throughout the planning and funding processes. For a list of members of the Strategic Funding Committee, click here.
How will funding decisions get made?
The selection process was highly competitive. Decisions will be made by selection committees that included Boston Children’s staff and other external representatives with expertise in their strategic areas.
How will Boston Children’s assess the impact of this investment?
Mathematica Policy Research has been hired to evaluate the impact of Boston Children’s Collaboration for Community Health. We are committed to sharing lessons learned and the results about how these investments have made a difference in the lives of children and families in the years ahead.
How can I find more information about the organizations that have been funded?
The organizations that have been selected to receive funds from the Collaboration for Community Health are referred to as our funded partners. Details on each funded partner can be found here.
When will Boston Children's release the next round of funds?
More details will be provided in early 2021. Information will be shared to this page and will also be sent by email. You can sign up for email updates below: