We can all make a greater impact by working together. For agencies, this is known as cross-sector collaboration. With multiple sectors serving the same population, it is critical that we work collaboratively to build successful and comprehensive pathways to opportunity for all. That means improving our communities from the ground up — connecting affordable homes to health care and other important resources.

By pooling available knowledge and resources to improve access and care for the members of our communities, we can affect the life — and health — of communities everywhere. The following are a few examples of our success in cross-sector collaboration. 

• Enterprise partnered with the Catholic Health Association on a new resource for tax-exempt hospitals looking for guidance on housing-related activities that they can report as community benefit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS): “Housing and Community Benefit: What Counts?”
• The Health Advisory Council draws on the expertise and experience of leaders in the health care and community development fields to guide the Initiative’s cross-cutting work.
• The creation of over 800 affordable homes and an education and youth development strategy carried out in partnership with Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, have aided in the revitalization of West Baltimore.
• Sinai-Grace Hospital, located in northwest Detroit's Winship Community, brought community stakeholders together to find ways to invest in health through affordable housing and community revitalization, including commercial establishments, neighborhood safety, beautification, school system vitality and health care services.
• The city of Denver has developed a Social Impact Bond initiative to help at least 250 chronically homeless people who also struggle with mental health and substance abuse challenges.
• In Portland, Oregon, Enterprise partnered with nine local affordable housing organizations to create the Oregon Health and Housing Learning Collaborative to determine how to access to stable housing and health care affects vulnerable individuals living in Oregon.