Applications open for Whole Community Connection in Edgecombe and Robeson counties

Whole Community Connection (WCC) invests in community-academic partnerships to improve health equity in Edgecombe and Robeson Counties. Key drivers of health and well-being extend beyond clinic visits and include social determinants such as food security, education, employment, environmental resiliency, housing, and/or transportation. WCC is a leadership program for rural North Carolina led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that builds on established authentic connections poised to make transformative community change that benefits residents.

Whole Community Connection invites applications from existing community-academic collaborations advancing health and well-being in Edgecombe or Robeson County. Selected teams from each county will receive funding and leadership training to implement their approaches.

Whole Community Connection Champions are teams comprised of two county-based community partners and two faculty from any of UNC-Chapel Hill's 13 Schools. Selected teams will start the program in January 2022. Teams will receive $45,000 for one year to implement their solutions to improve health in their communities and additional assistance from interprofessional teams of students. During the year, teams will also receive intensive learning, mentoring, coaching, and networking opportunities to lead transformative change. The leadership training blends two established models—relational leadership and equity-centered leadership—to strengthen the partnership within the team and the use of their resources.

Whole Community Connection is led by Giselle Corbie, MD, MSc, UNC Rural, and Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, CNL, FAAN, UNC Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice. The program is supported by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust.

The program aligns with the strategic plan for the university, Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good. Strategic Initiative #6: Serve to Benefit Society reinforces the university's commitment to direct innovation towards economic and social development across the state.

The call for applications closes November 1, 2021, at 3p ET. Visit go.unc.edu/wcc to learn more about WCC and apply as a team.

See also: Seeking academic partners for Whole Community Connection