SEED-SCALE for sustainable community health
A community-centered health plan powered by local leadership, shared learning, and frugal innovation.
Executive Summary
Start with the concise overview of the 5-2035 plan.
White Paper
Explore the research and implementation details.
Mission & Charter
Learn about the principles guiding GFCH.
The three traditions
SEED-SCALE brings together the Koranic concept of Umma | Shura | Maslaha (community | mutual consultation | public interest), American pragmatism, and the Indian practice of jugaad (frugal innovation). Together, they re-imagine the relationship between stakeholders, experts, officials and the community.
Why top-down alone fails
In the traditional model, content experts advise government officials, who implement programs in communities. This one-way flow often lacks local ownership, follow-through, and sustainability. Effective change grows from the community level—but bottom-up growth needs support.
The three-way partnership
Traditional model
- One-way, top-down flow
- Experts advise officials
- Limited local ownership
- Little follow-through
SEED-SCALE model
- Government support
- Expert innovation
- Local community leadership
- Shared learning and ownership
Mobilizing community growth takes all three partners interacting seamlessly, with the CHO / supervising clinician team at its center.
Development starts with belief
SEED-SCALE views community development like successful parenting: people must believe in their own capacity and build on their strengths.
Grass needs nourishment from sun and rain and from fertilizers and micro-nutrients. In the same way, government support and expert insight help communities act resourcefully and grow.
Request the white paper
The full 76-page 5-2035 White Paper is available on request.
Open the white paper request page
Mission & Charter
Read GFCH’s Mission Statement and Charter for the principles guiding the foundation.
Read the Mission & Charter
Sources and references
- Taylor-Ide, D. and C.E. Taylor, Just and Lasting Change. 2002, The Johns Hopkins University Press.
- O’Brien JB. How Nurse Practitioners Obtained Provider Status: Lessons for Pharmacists. 2003. Am J Health Syst Pharm 60(22):2301–2307.
- Donaldson, M.S., et al. Primary care: America’s health in a new era. 1996, National Academy Press.