-The bi3 Fund, HealthPath Foundation of Ohio, and Interact for Health are seeking applications for the fourth cohort of the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative. The Collaborative plans to award 18-month grants of $40,000 to as many as 10 nonprofit and governmental organizations focused on health or health justice. The funding and learning opportunity will help organizations shift culture, mindsets, and practices to advance community-driven, equitable data and evaluation.
Equitable data and evaluation mean that the people and communities most affected by an issue help decide the questions and have a say in how information is gathered, understood, shared, and used to make changes that matter to them. By sharing power throughout the process, organizations can gain a more complete understanding of community experiences and make better, more responsive decisions.
“Working together to improve community health means working closely with people in that community who know what’s needed to thrive,” said Jill Miller, President & CEO of the bi3 Fund. “When people have a voice and a role in shaping decisions that affect their community, the resulting policies and programs are more likely to make sense and work for everyone involved.”
In 2023, three local health funders launched the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative to support grantees with funding, technical assistance, and collaborative learning to improve their data and evaluation skills. To date, 31 organizations have received grants, training, and shared insights on community engagement, ethical storytelling, and culturally responsive evaluation. Participants report a better understanding of harmful data practices, new community involvement methods, and collaboration with community members to interpret results and share findings via accessible story and art-based approaches, in addition to strengthening their relationships with peer organizations.
“Equitable evaluation happens when communities are involved in the process, not just studied,” said Kate Schroder, President and CEO of Interact for Health. “When organizations include community members in evaluating their work, they get better information. That helps make sure programs, funding, and decisions reflect the needs and experiences of the people they are meant to help.”
Selected organizations will use funding to join a learning cohort and test projects that build capacity over time, such as co-designing data tools, partnering with community members to interpret findings, piloting plain-language sharing methods, examining decision-making power over data, or strengthening staff capacity through an equity lens. These projects aim to test, learn, and improve practices, not as one-time initiatives.
“Communities hold knowledge that is essential to understanding what supports health and what gets in the way,” said Kiana R. Trabue, President of the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio. “This Collaborative gives organizations the time, resources, and peer support to listen more deeply, strengthen their practices, and ensure that community expertise helps guide the decisions that affect people’s lives.”
To be eligible, organizations must be public nonprofits, governmental bodies, or collaborate with a fiscal sponsor. They should serve at least one county within the Collaborative’s 20-county area. Successful applicants will show a strong dedication to health or health justice, demonstrate internal leadership and organizational commitment, offer genuine chances for community involvement, and have some basic data or evaluation skills to build upon.
Key dates and other information
• Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
• An optional RFP webinar will be held virtually on Friday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Optional office hours will be offered virtually on Friday, September 18, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and in person at Greater Cincinnati Foundation on Tuesday, September 22, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
To review the complete request for proposals, register for the webinar or virtual office hours, or apply, visit https://www.cincinnatidataforequity.com/rfp-september-2026.
The Data for Equity Funding Collaborative is hosted by Interact for Change, a 501(c)(3) subsidiary of Interact for Health.
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About bi3
Launched by Bethesda Inc. in 2010, the bi3 Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization working to ensure every person in Greater Cincinnati has a fair opportunity to achieve their best health. Through trust-based partnerships, bi3 invests in innovation and systems change across Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties in Ohio. Learn more at www.bi3.org.
About HealthPath Foundation of Ohio
HealthPath Foundation of Ohio is a regional health foundation advancing health equity through strategic grantmaking and intermediary services that support improved health outcomes across Ohio’s communities. Its mission is to advance health equity by empowering Ohio’s communities through strategic grantmaking and collaborative partnerships. Learn more at www.healthpathohio.org.
About Interact for Health
Interact for Health partners to ensure that people in our region have a just opportunity to live their healthiest lives, regardless of who they are or where they live. Interact advances health justice through grantmaking, collaboration, learning, convening, and engagement. It is an independent foundation working in 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Learn more at www.interactforhealth.org.
