Fostering organizational change through a community-based initiative

Program funders and managers are increasingly interested in fostering changes in the policies, practices, and procedures of organizations participating in community-based initiatives. But little is known about what factors contribute to the institutionalization of change. In this study, the authors assess whether the organizational members of the Bronx Health REACH Coalition have begun to change their functioning and role with regard to their clients and their staff and in the broader community, apart from their implementation of the funded programs for which they are responsible. The study identifies factors that seemed to contribute to or hinder such institutional change and suggests several strategies for coalitions and funders that are seeking to promote and sustain organizational change.