bi3 Updates
Data for Equity Funding Collaborative awards $400,000 to bolster fair data practices
The Data for Equity Funding Collaborative, a partnership between the bi3 Fund, HealthPath Foundation of Ohio, and Interact for Health, awarded $400,000 in grants to 10 Greater Cincinnati nonprofit organizations. Each organization will receive a $40,000 grant over 18 months to strengthen its capacity to collect, analyze, and use data to promote fair, inclusive, and community-informed health outcomes.
Since its launch in 2023, the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative has supported 31 organizations with $925,000 in total investments. Outcomes from previous cohorts include a greater understanding of equitable and culturally responsive evaluation frameworks that prioritize community voice and strengthened community engagement practices.
Cincinnati Business Courier features bi3’s Jill Miller and Cradle Cincinnati’s Dr. Meredith Smith
Dr. Meredith Smith, executive director of Cradle Cincinnati, joined bi3’s Jill Miller in a recent episode of Cincinnati Business Courier’s “Getting Health Care Right.” The discussion focused on the book they co-wrote, Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems, which details how Cincinnati organizations joined forces to tackle our community’s high infant mortality rate.
The book offers a framework for communities and organizations to tackle their own wicked problems. These problems often involve multiple complex, interconnected factors that are difficult to pinpoint and understand. Examples of wicked problems in business include the rising cost of healthcare, employee engagement, talent retention, and cultural transformation.
Local 12 addresses infant mortality in “What’s Happening in Health”
bi3’s Jill Miller also joined Liz Bonis on “What’s Happening in Health” to discuss continuing efforts to reduce infant mortality, recent increase in infant deaths related to the improper use of breastfeeding problems, and the book Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems: A Community-driven Approach to creating change, co-authored by Jill and Dr. Meredith Smith.
As Jill said in the interview, “Everybody has a role to play. Every person living in Hamilton County can help save babies.”
Grantee Spotlight
Peace of Mind Project
A $150,000 grant from bi3 helped launch The Peace of Mind Project, a collaboration between Jamaa Health and Diasporic Soul. Together, the two organizations developed a replicable, four-part mental health and wellbeing intervention that blends African diasporic traditions with evidence-informed practices. The result is a culturally grounded model that fosters safe and healing spaces where Black men can gather, reflect, and grow.
By centering cultural belonging and emotional clarity, the Peace of Mind Project offers a unique approach to mental wellness that acknowledges Black men’s realities while equipping them with tools to rest, reconnect, and rise.
On July 18th, the Peace of Mind Project will take the national stage at the 3rd Annual Black Mental Health Summit, sharing its model and the impact of culturally competent, community-centered care.
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