Community-Centered Funding and Research to Advance Health Equity.

Abstract

Health inequities across Chicago reflect structural differences in housing, food access, education, employment, and safety, producing stark gaps in outcomes, including a 24-year life expectancy divide between the Loop and West Garfield Park. Insights from the Chicago Collecting and Aligning Research to Achieve Health Equity symposium at the University of Chicago highlight misalignments in research funding, incentives, and governance that limit impact in underserved communities. Actionable strategies are presented - phased funding, shared infrastructure, community-led grantmaking, pooled financing, and reimbursement reform - to realign power, resources, and accountability, offering a scalable framework for community-driven cross-sector health equity.