Featured photo: The MSU HERA program team is led by Kent Key (left), associate professor of public health and associate chair for community-partnered institutional administration and Nadia Abuelezam (right), associate professor of family medicine.
MSU Awarded $700,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Research for Action Coordinating Center Grant for the Planning Year
As a pioneer in community-based participatory research, the Flint community established the Community-Based Organization Partners (CBOP) in 1990. CBOP leads efforts to advocate for community health and minority representation in critical health equity research and program initiatives.
As a catalyst for transformative action, the Flint community and Michigan State University Public Health mobilized structural change during the 2014 Flint Water Crisis, demonstrating leadership in the face of public health adversity.
As a champion for sustained progress, the Flint community and its partners turn to foundations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to advance health equity research, ensuring continued support for interventions that improve the health of minority populations even as national funding is deprioritized in 2025.
FLINT, Mich. – Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and Flint residents have been awarded one of three competitive coordinating center grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) through its Health Equity Research for Action (HERA) program.
The work funded by this grant aims to establish priorities and mechanisms for future health equity programs, placing Flint residents at the forefront of health research and decision-making. This multi-year research program ensures that Flint residents will have a voice in shaping health programs and policies that impact their lives and those of others across the United States.
The grant supports the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, the first academic department to adopt a co-created and co-governed public health model in which community members and university experts collaborate as equal partners. By integrating community partnership into the department’s core structure, local input guides public health efforts, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions for the
community.
The MSU HERA program team is led by Nadia Abuelezam, associate professor of family medicine, and Kent Key, associate professor of public health and associate chair for community-partnered institutional administration. The team will work in close partnership with each of the three coordinating centers to serve as thought leaders, co-designing funding mechanisms and health equity research priorities with RWJF.
“This award is a testament to the longstanding dedication of our community partners, faculty, and staff who are committed to ending health disparities,” said Jennifer E. Johnson, founding chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health. “Our community-based public health model ensures that needs and solutions identified by communities will shape funding priorities for health disparities research nationwide.”
The project aims to achieve long-term impacts by:
Enhancing Community Engagement: Establishing and strengthening mechanisms for ongoing community involvement in health research, ensuring that local voices are integral to decision-making processes and the development of health initiatives.
Advancing Health Equity Research: Conducting research focused on understanding and addressing the root causes of racial and ethnic health disparities, utilizing a community-centered approach that prioritizes the needs and experiences of underserved populations.
Building Sustainable Partnerships: Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships between community members, academic institutions and philanthropic organizations to create a supportive ecosystem for health equity efforts that endure beyond the duration of the grant.
Implementing Innovative Solutions: Creating evidence-based interventions designed to improve health outcomes while translating research findings into actionable strategies that promote greater health equity.
Fostering Knowledge Dissemination: Sharing research findings and successful outcomes with a broader audience through effective communication strategies, ensuring that lessons learned can inform future practices and policies in health equity.
“We are committed to processes and policies that lead to equitable health outcomes while dismantling systemic and structural inequities. Our commitment to equity is reflected in our lived experience and community expertise. Despite the challenges of changing institutional norms, we are centering community in every aspect of the process,” said Key. “This innovative thinking and shared voice are what make our work
successful and sustainable.”
By centering community voices and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, the insights gained from this project will address the systemic barriers faced by underserved populations and enhance health outcomes.
“For too long, decisions about our health have been made without our input,” said Sarah Bailey, founding member of Community-Based Organization Partners. “This approach is vital for our community because we are a part of the solution. Having local voices at the forefront of health research ensures that the real needs of Flint residents are prioritized. Together, we can create lasting change that truly reflects what our community needs to thrive.”
“As we embark on this new chapter, we will create sustainable pathways to health equity and promote innovative solutions that are informed by those most affected,” said Abuelezam. “Through continuous collaboration, we aim to set a precedent for community-based health research and engagement that is rooted in justice and social equity.”
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds the Health Equity Research for Action Coordinating Center, which comprises Michigan State University, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Morehouse School of Medicine.
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold
leaps to transform health.
