Community-Driven Solutions for Health Equity


Health Equity Zones is a community-driven initiative, created from the understanding that people who are most impacted by health inequities are closest to the solutions that will improve their health.

This initiative, created by legislation, supports a unique approach for the Washington State Department of Health to collaborate with community through participatory decision-making and innovative funding structures. Through the initiative, the Department of Health will collaborate with the selected health equity zones as they identify pressing health concerns, develop strategies that address their unique needs and strengths, and implement projects to improve the health of their community.

The Health Equity Zones Community Advisory Council, comprised of Native, community, and sector leaders, established the foundation and vision for the Health Equity Zones Initiative. Native community representatives on the Community Advisory Council formed a Zone for Native Communities Subcommittee to develop submission guidelines, which includes a zone definition, eligibility criteria, and selection process. The subcommittee invited input on the selection process from Native leaders in Washington and led recruitment of an Indigenous Advisory Panel reflective of Tribal and Urban Native communities from across the state. The Indigenous Advisory Panel will review the submission forms and select the Health Equity Zone for Native Communities.

On March 18, 2024, the Health Equity Zones Initiative opened submissions for the Health Equity Zone for Native Communities. Tribal and Urban Native communities from across Washington are encouraged to apply. One community will be selected by the Indigenous Advisory Panel in this pilot phase of the Initiative.

The selected community will receive flexible funding of $200,000 per year for two years that can be used towards developing organizational infrastructure to support community decision-making, identifying health priorities, and developing culturally relevant strategies. The Department of Health is committed to supporting the zone in securing additional funding that aligns with the identified health priorities to implement community selected strategies.

For more information about the Health Equity Zones Initiative and zone selection process, please visit our webpage. For questions, contact HealthEquityZones@doh.wa.gov.
Zone For Native Communities Definition

An opportunity for Tribal communities and Urban Native communities in a zone to continue to strengthen health through culturally relevant approaches. The zone will be a geographically self-defined and connected area, that is small enough for focused strategies to have a measurable impact on health outcomes. For example, ancestral homelands, defined Tribal lands, a city, town, zip code, or neighborhood.
Eligibility Criteria

The submitter must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Zone for Native Communities:
  • Represent a Tribe (federally and non-federally recognized), Tribal Organization, Urban Indian Organization, or Collaborative of these entities.
  • Identify as an Native-led entity.
  • Use a community-driven approach.
  • Serve and prioritize the Native population.
Selection Criteria

Criteria Categories Max Score
Honors & Respects Indigenous Sovereignty
  • Engaged the community in the decision to be considered as a health equity zone  ​
  • Illustrates broad reaching support from community members and organizations serving and are part of the proposed community ​
  • Identifies approaches to challenge systems and policies in support of individual and Tribal Sovereignty
 3
Multigenerational Vision
  • Includes reference to a story or example about engaging youth and elders in their work  ​
  • Demonstrates a visionary perspective to improve health for future generations
 3
Grows Relations & Connections
  • Describes existing or potential partnerships in the community, including coalitions, collaboratives, grassroots formations, and/or community councils and working groups  ​
  • Describe a vision for more connectedness across systems, sectors, or organizations
 3
Strengths-Based
  • Describes the community, including key characteristics and strengths ​
  • Includes reference to a story or example that highlights key characteristics and strengths of the community ​
  • Identifies equity gaps to be addressed and how community strengths can be used to support
 3
Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge
  • Describes an idea for a proposed project and approaches that the submitter is excited about
  • Includes reference to a story or example that speaks to the impact of existing efforts to improve community health
 3
Scoring Scale
0 = Criteria Not Met
1 = Criteria Partially Met
2 = Criteria Met
3 = Criteria Exceeded

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