The OCI seeks to create a sustainable, collaborative and modern infrastructure that supports and elevates community coalitions through enhanced training, technical assistance, and coaching/mentoring. This includes assisting with establishing new coalitions in areas without suicide prevention, problem gambling prevention, and drug free coalitions. This will also include the elevation of a coalition network to expand opportunities to strengthen coalitions and advance local strategies. One Contractor will be responsible for implementing and coordinating all components of the OCI, including specified trainings and technical assistance, workforce development and coalition membership engagement. The Contractor will be responsible for establishing a leadership team composed of representatives from partners with active Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), OhioMHAS and other relevant stakeholders. The leadership team will support the development and refinement of all aspects of the OCI. Contractors are required to partner with other statewide entities, Ohio subject matter experts, coaching and mentoring networks, and show how all partners will be involved in the development and implementation (duration, frequency) of the OCI deliverables. This includes traditional partners (sectors of health, education, public safety, faith, etc.) and non-traditional partners that impact social drivers of health (e.g., community action organizations, food banks, child welfare, etc.). This funding opportunity is designed to improve outcomes across the following goal areas. Proposals must clearly demonstrate how the Contractor will achieve the stated goals and objectives. In many cases, goals and objectives will be interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Goal 1: Establish and Facilitate the OCI Strategic Leadership Team Contractor will establish a strategic leadership team within the first quarter of the grant period. This team, including OhioMHAS representation, will guide the planning, implementation, and sustainability of the OCI’s development efforts. The team should include diverse, cross-sector representatives, including those with lived experience. The team should also include statewide partners coordinating community coalition initiatives and networks. The team will explore and act on opportunities to collaboratively integrate the OCI into existing community coalition infrastructure, contributing to the collective impact of statewide coalition efforts. To formalize these roles, responsibilities and commitments, the Contractor must secure MOUs with each participating organization or agency represented on the team. MOUs should outline each member’s contributions to the OCI. Objective 1: Collaborate with OCI Strategic Leadership Team to Develop Learning Opportunities Contractor will share draft curricula for the Community Coalition Action Theory, Community Readiness Assessment, and Data Driven Strategic Planning series with OCI Strategic Leadership Team for review and feedback. Contractor will incorporate feedback into final curricula. Objective 2: Collaborate with OCI Leadership Team to Market the OCI Contractor will create a marketing plan to increase awareness of the OCI and communicate its impact. This plan will be shared with the OCI Strategic Leadership Team by October 1, 2025 for feedback and will include paid marketing, social media, presence at state- sponsored conferences, newsletters, and co-promotion with partners. Objective 3: Collaborate with OCI Strategic Leadership Team to Collect Coalition Data Contractor will collaborate with the OCI Strategic Leadership Team and external evaluator to collect data for the OCI Coalition Heat Map and will incorporate the Team’s feedback into the expansion of the Map. Contractor will engage the Team and external evaluator in assessing existing processes to collect community coalition data, working to avoid duplicated efforts. Goal 2: Increase Ohio’s Community Coalition Capacity The OCI is designed to strengthen the infrastructure, effectiveness and sustainability of community coalitions across the state. The Contractor will ensure that OCI will build coalition capacity by focusing the key areas outlined and by creating a collaborative learning environment along with coaching and mentoring opportunities. Objective 1: Coordinate and Evaluate: Foundations of Community Coalition Development (Foundations) Contractor will utilize the Foundations for Community Coalition Development curriculum, which will be provided by OhioMHAS, The Contractor will coordinate a CoP for ten to twelve new or emerging community coalitions to participate in a seven- month series of learning opportunities with a mix of self-paced, virtual and face to face. Target areas for recruitment will include areas without suicide prevention, problem gambling prevention, or drug free coalitions. These sessions are designed to enhance coalition infrastructure and capacity based on coalition best practices, regardless of each participating coalition’s primary problem of practice. Foundations shall begin no later than October 2025 with a completion date of May 2026. In between sessions, coalitions are expected to be receive coaching support in completing Foundations assignments. Contractor will recruit new and emerging coalitions for this learning opportunity. Objective 2: Coordinate and Evaluate: From Theory to Practice: Community Coalition Action Theory (CCAT) Contractor will coordinate the development, implementation, and evaluation of a CCAT series and CoP for eight to ten community coalitions. The CCAT theoretical framework provides a roadmap for building and evaluating an effective coalition. This CoP will enhance coalitions’ infrastructure and sustainability using the CCAT. The curriculum must be designed for established coalitions and shared with the OCI Strategic Leadership Team for review and feedback. Coalitions will receive coaching and support throughout the CCAT learning opportunity. It is expected that the CCAT learning opportunity shall begin no later than January 2026 with a completion date of May 2026. This will include ways to showcase coalitions and their work. Objective 3: Coordinate and Evaluate: Community Readiness Assessment (CRA) Training and Coaching Infrastructure Contractor is expected to develop and implement infrastructure for coalitions to access high quality training and coaching on the CRA. This infrastructure should equip coalitions to conduct the CRA with fidelity and apply results to planning and capacity building strategies. This will include showcasing coalitions and their work. Contractor will coordinate the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Community Readiness Assessment (CRA) series and CoP for eight to ten community coalitions. The CRA series will be based on the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research’s Community Readiness Model, increasing coalitions’ CRA access and support by offering coalitions the option to implement the full or brief version. The curriculum must be designed for established coalitions and shared with the OCI Leadership Team for review and feedback....
