Supporting Children and Families Through Trauma: A Qualitative Exploration of the Change Promotion Aspects of the Co-Creating Well-Being Initiative

This study investigated a regional foundation’s Co-Creating Well-Being initiative, a multi-year effort to increase human service agencies’ capacity in trauma-informed care, human-centered design, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. This research examined the change promotion process inspired by an innovative grantmaking model and the barriers and facilitators for organizational change. A stratified sampling approach was applied to recruit representatives from N = 33 agencies. Thematic analysis was used to develop a change promotion model featuring four main themes: pre-existing conditions, receptivity to opportunities for change, adoption to change, and early outcomes. Macro-level influences of COVID-19 and calls for racial justice accountability are discussed.