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As we look ahead to 2026, funders have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to rethink how we invest in our communities.  While short-term relief and programmatic funding remain important, lasting impact requires a deeper, more strategic approach. Here are three ways funders can shift their investment strategy to boost community well-being in 2026 and beyond.  Make Upstream Investments   Lasting change will only come if we work upstream to address root problems and build the f

Healthy Communities Delaware Executive Director Kate Dupont Phillips, MPH was named one of  Delaware Today’s  35 Women Breaking Barries Across Industries. She was nominated and interviewed for the Gift Guide | Holiday celebrations issue, talking about health equity and social justice, collaboration, and (of course) the  Vital Conditions . “I was inspired to enter public health because the goal of the field is to improve health for whole populations or communities, not individ

For the last three years, Nemours Children’s Health has partnered with HCD to help fund its annual grant cycle, including the most recent $1.6 million investment in Delaware’s most underserved neighborhoods. The partnership underscores Nemours’ commitment to addressing health beyond the walls of healthcare facilities, including the social, economic, behavioral, and environmental factors that affect children every day. “By forging strategic partnerships, we enable impactful an

Literacy is a Foundational Skill to Support Individual and Community Well-Being The Vital Conditions for Well-Being are the things that we all need, all the time, to thrive and reach our full potential--humane housing, meaningful work and wealth, a thriving natural world, reliable transportation, basic needs for health and safety, lifelong learning, belonging and civic muscle. Literacy is a foundational life skill that enables people to know and navigate their world. It also

Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD), an initiative of the Delaware Community Foundation, University of Delaware Partnership for Healthy Communities and the Delaware Division of Public Health, today announced that in collaboration with funding partner Nemours, it is investing over $1.6 million in nine of Delaware’s most underserved neighborhoods.  Funding supports community-driven priorities that strengthen the Vital Conditions  — the essential factors that shape communal well-

The Ripple Foundation recently featured Healthy Communities Delaware as one of its partners in The Movement to Thrive Together Hub . Grounded in the vital conditions for health and well-being, this resource brings together people, organizations, and networks who are building this movement through shared stewardship, shifting systems that don’t work effectively for all of us. While it can take years to measure the full impact of community investments — like those HCD makes bas

On May 22, organizations from across the state converged in Dover for “Delaware’s Day for Housing 2025,” advocating for solutions to our housing crisis, with the goal to ensure that everyone in our state has a safe, affordable place to live and thrive. Our challenges in the housing realm range from homelessness to a severe shortage of affordable rental homes. These challenges occur on a continuum of needs from community-level conditions -- enough safe, affordable, stable hous

As Delaware communities face tighter budgets and growing needs, local leaders must prioritize investments that deliver broad, lasting impact. Parks and green spaces do exactly that. Often overlooked, parks are powerful “multi-solvers” that support many of the Vital Conditions communities need to thrive, from health and housing to social connection and environmental resilience. Since 2011, Cornerstone West CDC, the Latin American Community Center (LACC), and Be Ready CDC have

On Monday, the Vision Coalition of Delaware announced Delaware's Next 10-Year Plan for Public Education. Student Equity and Excellence 2035  is a policy roadmap and the culmination of years of public engagement, research, conversations, and debate. It contains six key issue areas—early care and education, student-centered learning, student supports, postsecondary success, educators, and student-centered funding.  As supporters of community-driven initiatives around the Vital

Healthy Communities Delaware believes that fostering healthy, resilient communities requires addressing the issues that impact our daily lives and future sustainability. We’re thrilled to spotlight a powerful Op-Ed published this month, written by Rethinking Delaware, an informal coalition of advocates, former state officials, and nonprofit organizations. HCD, as part of Rethinking Delaware, proposes land-use reform to address our housing challenges, mitigate climate effects,

The State of Delaware, Highmark Delaware, Nemours, and DuPont Invest in the “Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being” Critical to Individual and Community Strength SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 - Wilmington, Del. – In collaboration with the Delaware Division of Public Health (DDPH), Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware (Highmark Delaware), DuPont, and Nemours Children’s Health, Healthy Communities Delaware announced today it is investing $2.29 million in Delaware’s most underserv

2024, "Addressing transportation inequities in Wilmington", Spotlight Delaware, 16 September, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/09/16/sponsored-hcd-dart-transit/ . How would you direct funding for public transportation? That was the question representatives from DART First State put forth during a community workshop at Wilmington Public Library  last September, as part of DART Reimagined . Would they rather have more mid-day and weekend service? Earlier or later se

2024, "Rural Kent, Sussex transportation needs exacerbate inequities", Spotlight Delaware, 10 September, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/09/10/sponsored-hcd-rural-transporation/ . Due to transportation barriers in Sussex County, social service providers may end up in the driver’s seat. For instance, Children and Families First offers a variety of programs and services addressing the needs of families across Delaware. In certain circumstances, the organization has

2024, "New Castle County faces a growing housing crisis", Spotlight Delaware, 3 September, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/09/03/sponsored-new-castle-county-housing-crisis/ Real estate tends to respond slowly to market changes — this, Wilmington Councilmember Vincent White, a former Wilmington Housing Authority chair and a lifelong resident of the city, knows. “You could start building tomorrow, and by the time you were done in five years, you would still be beh

2024, "Springboard Collaborative brings innovative housing to Sussex County", 27 August, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/08/27/sponsored-hcd-sussex-housing/ . Federal funds helped to set up the Springboard Collaborative pallet village in Georgetown last year, which uses tiny homes in a housing first strategy. For housing advocate Judson Malone, “the most important thing is that housing – in whatever form you can provide it – is fundamental.” Nationwide, there’s a

In the deepest pockets of Delaware, deliberate, transformative, and collaborative investments are redefining community health. Together, Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) are fostering cross-sector collaborations that align public health, healthcare, and community-based organizations to promote equity and continue to combat COVID-19 across communities. In 2023, HCD received American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from DPH to e

The Cornerstone Community Center saw more than 70 people attend a Family Fun Night in February at the Bridgeville Public Library. 2024, "Delaware nonprofits revitalize Bridgeville," 19 August, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/08/19/sponsored-bridgeville-delaware-nonprofits/ . Today’s Bridgeville looks very different compared to two decades ago. What was once a deeply agricultural community with a population of about a thousand is now a town of several thousand, th

NeighborGood Partners offers pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling, financial education, and DEHAP rental housing assistance in Kent County. 2024, " NeighborGood Partners offers pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling, financial education, and DEHAP rental housing assistance in Kent County", 13 July, Accessed: https://healthycommunitiesde.org/news/f/advancing-environmental-justice-in-new-castle-county . It was perhaps the best Christmas gift possible–a

Local students have tended to a community garden planted at the Rodney Reservoir in Wilmington as part of a project to reclaim greenspace in the community. 2024, "Advancing environmental justice in New Castle County", 6 July, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/08/06/environmental-justice/ . It was while living across from New Castle’s Surratte Park in the 1980s that Sandra Smithers became involved in environmental justice. Maintenance contractors had a habit of mish

The Rev. Anastacio Matamoros, Pastor at Iglesia de Dios de la Profecia in Georgetown, provides a lecture to a La Plaza class. 2024, "Creating opportunities for the Latinx community in Sussex County", 30 July, Accessed: https://spotlightdelaware.org/2024/07/30/la-plaza-opportunities/ . It’s been almost 30 years since La Esperanza was founded to address the needs of the increasing number of Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants arriving in southern Delaware. Located in Georgetown,