ECCHO (Engaging Communities to Change Health Outcomes) is a two-year, cohort-based civic leadership program. It centers the voices and lived experiences of Black, Brown, and Indigenous women and non-binary people of color to drive policy change and transform local systems of power.
Grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research and a tenet of radical imagination, ECCHO does not just teach civic skills. It builds genuine community power and trains people to reimagine what health equity can look like in their neighborhoods.
Participants are compensated for their time, supported with wraparound resources, and treated as the experts they are.
What is ECCHO?
How a cohort works
1. Recruit 10 participants from the local community who reflect the lived experience of those most impacted.
2. Year one: 9-module curriculum. Participants build civic knowledge, leadership skills, and a shared vision.
3. Year two: community project. The cohort designs and implements a real policy or community health initiative.
4. Alumni programming sustains connection and extends impact beyond the two-year cohort.
5. A Local Program Coordinator rooted in the community provides day-to-day support and leadership throughout.
What Success Looks Like
Across ECCHO cohorts in Wisconsin, participants report meaningful shifts in civic knowledge, confidence, and action. These are the early results that community members, partners, and funders are seeing.
92%
increased understanding of local government
93%
stronger sense of community connection
98%
improved ability to identify community barriers
97%
expanded sense of possibility within their communities
95%
increased interest in community action
72%
attended a public meeting during the program (vs. ~9% national baseline)
Is this a fit?
Who should bring ECCHO to their community?
ECCHO is designed to be replicated in communities where Black, Brown, and Indigenous women and non-binary people of color are driving change but need infrastructure, training, and sustained support to go further.
Community-Based Organizations
You work directly with women of color on health, housing, food access, or civic issues and want a structured leadership pathway for the people you serve.
Public Health Departments
You are looking for community-driven approaches to closing health equity gaps and want to move beyond traditional outreach models.
Foundations and Funders
You want to invest in a proven, participatory model that compensates community members and generates measurable civic and health outcomes.
Coalition and Collaboratives
You represent a network of organizations that see civic engagement as a shared priority and want to build collective power across your region.
What's included
What replication partners receive
ECCHO's team provides structured support so local partners can implement with confidence, not start from scratch.
Curriculum
Full 9-module curriculum with facilitator guides, participant materials, and session-by-session support.
Community
Connection to the broader ECCHO network: coordinators, alumni, and program staff who share learning across sites.
Training
Onboarding and ongoing coaching for Local Program Coordinators to build facilitation capacity from the start.
Participant Support Model
A tested model for compensating participants and providing wraparound supports including laptops, childcare, and transportation.
Research Infrastructure
Access to ECCHO's Community-Based Participatory Research framework and evaluation tools, developed with academic partners at UW-Madison.
Technical Assistance
Guidance on budgeting, funder relations, and local adaptation from ECCHO's program leadership.
"When we root our work in community wisdom and radical imagination, we don't just fix broken systems. We ignite the power within our communities to create a future defined by justice, connection, and shared well-being." - Kadijha Marquardt-Davis, ECCHO Program Director
Next Steps
How to bring ECCHO to your community
Replication is a conversation, not a transaction. Here is what to expect when you reach out.
Send us a note
Tell us a bit about your community, who you serve, and what draws you to ECCHO. There is no formal application to start the conversation.
Discovery call with Kadijha
ECCHO Program Director Kadijha Marquardt-Davis will connect with you to learn more and share what replication looks like in practice.
Community assessment and planning
Together, we identify the right fit, scope, and timeline for your community. We discuss the Local Program Coordinator role, participant recruitment, and funding requirements.
Launch your first cohort
With curriculum, training, and support in place, you welcome your first 10 participants. Your community's transformation begins.