A Healthier Wisconsin

AHW receives national recognition

Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment receives national recognition for developing promising model to create impact

AHW has been featured by the Collective Impact Forum for developing “a promising new model” for investing to achieve collective impact

June 27, 2019 - Highlighting AHW’s Advancing Behavioral Health Initiative, author Paul Schmitz, senior advisor to the Collective Impact Forum and CEO of Leading Inside Out, details AHW’s strategic development of the initiative, stating that, “this type of partnership between funder and collective impact is a promising practice the field should be exploring more …”

The Advancing Behavioral Health Initiative is an eight-year, up to $20 million commitment to improve mental and behavioral health outcomes in 10 Wisconsin communities that was developed under the leadership of Dr. Cheryl Maurana, AHW Founding Director and MCW School of Medicine Senior Vice President for Strategic Academic Partnerships.


The Advancing Behavioral Health Initiative takes a new, strategic approach that combines a significant funding period with unique resources and wrap-around supports that are allowing each of the 10 communities to develop stronger strategies, put those strategies into action, and evaluate their impact. The Initiative began in 2016 and runs through 2024.

“We’re proud to have both the current successes and lessons we’ve learned in developing this innovative model highlighted in a prominent forum as a resource to those seeking to support or create collective impact initiatives,” said Christina Ellis, AHW program director.

The Collective Impact Forum is an initiative of FSG and the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions as an expanding network for tools and training to accelerate the effectiveness of collective impact efforts.

AHW is a statewide health improvement philanthropy established by MCW to steward a generous gift from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin on behalf of the residents of Wisconsin. Since 2004, AHW has invested more than $243 million in more than 400 projects statewide.

Download the article at the Collective Impact Forum.

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