The best way to understand community needs is through direct feedback from the people who live in and serve the community. Obtaining that feedback requires two things: an authentic relationship and physical presence. 

How can we truly understand a community’s needs without first building a relationship with them?

How can we build that relationship if we’re not physically present and participating in their work?

To be truly present, we cannot rely on funding and sponsorships alone. We need to listen, learn and build trust, so we can accurately and empathetically understand that community’s successes and challenges, the positives and the gaps. Then, we can show up in a way that is supportive of their needs, rather than extractive of their energy.

How KHF Connects to Communities

First, we identify an area of impact, like with our Building Power and Equity Partnership (BPEP) grantee network. These organizations work closely with communities experiencing the greatest health disparities, and they’re the best-positioned to lead change. 

We may also identify needs based on research and statistical data through the Kansas Health Institute or through our crowdsourcing campaigns like Wish Well. 

Then, whether we’re developing our own initiatives or identifying organizations already doing great work, we collaborate to determine what’s in the best interest of the community rather than dictate what we think needs to be done. 

This collaboration requires transparency. We are always clear about our intentions and what we hope to achieve. After (and only after) we’ve developed a solid foundation, we can work together to determine how our work aligns with their needs.

It’s also important to understand that not every community, organization or individual person is going to be interested in that connection. If we genuinely believe our investment can increase their successes and fill the gaps, we must be willing to build relationships on their terms. Not ours. 

Being Present, in Practice

For example, in developing our relationship with the Kansas Alliance for Tribal Community Health, we learned how vital it is for a foundation like KHF to be present in and connected to the communities and organizations we want to serve. They taught us that trust is crucial for building that authentic connection.

KHF attended and sponsored their health summit at the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Reservation, and––while we could have simply checked a box with our sponsorship––we instead chose to actively participate. On the second day, the organization’s leaders approached us to express their appreciation for our strong physical presence at the event. 

From that point, we were able to revisit conversations we had started more than two years prior. 

Over that time, we’ve learned how the Alliance thoughtfully builds relationships with other organizations and how trust is the most significant aspect of that process. They encouraged us to engage in-person and foster connections to establish trust and spark collaboration.

That’s what “being present” looks like in practice, and we appreciate the Kansas Alliance for Tribal Community Health for helping us see how it’s done effectively.