Research That Drives Decisions, Not Just Reports
Community health assessments, community health needs assessments, staff surveys, and program evaluation designed to inform action. Research that meets PHAB accreditation requirements—rooted in our Thrive methodology. Woman-owned. 8(a) certified.
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Community Health Assessments Understand your community's priorities
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Staff Capacity Assessments Honest workforce insights
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Program Evaluation Measure what matters
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Policy Research Evidence-based decisions
Research Services
Community Health Needs Assessments
Comprehensive assessment of your community's health priorities, assets, and gaps. We go beyond surveys to understand the story behind the data.
Staff Capacity Assessments
Confidential evaluation of your workforce's skills, satisfaction, and capacity. Honest insights your leadership needs to hear.
Program Evaluation
Are your programs working? We help you measure what matters and communicate results to funders and stakeholders.
Policy Research
Literature reviews, best practice scans, and policy analysis to inform your decisions with evidence.
Research Philosophy
Research Built on the Thrive Methodology
Every research engagement follows our Thrive methodology—process mapping, logic model development, and actionable findings that drive real decisions.
Learn About Our Methodology →Research Questions
How long does a community health assessment take?
Most community health assessments (CHAs) run 4-6 months from design to final report. This includes planning and design, data collection (surveys, focus groups, secondary data analysis), analysis and synthesis, and report writing. Staff capacity assessments are typically faster—6-10 weeks. We scope timelines honestly during our initial conversation based on your specific needs and constraints.
Can you help us meet PHAB accreditation requirements?
Yes. We understand PHAB requirements and design assessments that meet Domain 1 (Community Health Assessment) and other relevant standards. Our CHAs include the required community engagement components, use appropriate data sources, and result in documentation suitable for your accreditation site visit. See examples of our work: MCH Logic Model Development and our North Chicago Community Environment Scan. We've also developed an AI solution specifically to help with PHAB accreditation—let's talk about how it can streamline your process.
What about confidentiality for staff surveys?
Staff surveys are completely confidential. We never share individual responses with leadership. We present aggregate findings and only break down by demographics when groups are large enough to maintain anonymity. This confidentiality is essential for getting honest feedback—and it's why health departments often hire external researchers for staff assessments.
Do you help present findings to our board?
We can present directly to your board, help you prepare your own presentation, or both. We know how to translate research findings for elected officials and community members—focusing on what matters most and what's actionable. Every research engagement includes an executive summary designed for non-technical audiences.
What's the difference between a CHA and a CHNA?
Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) refer to similar processes but different requirements. CHAs are typically conducted by health departments for PHAB accreditation. CHNAs are required of nonprofit hospitals under IRS regulations. The methodologies overlap significantly, and we design assessments that can satisfy both requirements when health departments and hospitals partner together.
How do you ensure community engagement in research?
Community engagement is central to our research approach—not an afterthought. We design research with community input, recruit diverse participants, conduct focus groups in accessible locations, and share findings back to the community. For CHAs, we follow the MAPP framework which emphasizes community-driven priority setting. Our goal is research that reflects community voices, not just researcher assumptions.
Let's Discuss Your Research Needs
Tell us what questions you're trying to answer, and we'll help you design research that gets there.
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