Mental Health Coalition Capacity Building

Awarded in 2026

Updated Jul 13, 2026

At a Glance

This project, Mental Health Coalition Capacity Building, led by the Hmong Autism Neurodiverse Disability Support is strengthening their organization’s capacity to lead a statewide Hmong Mental Health Coalition. This project will establish a coalition roadmap, governance framework and sustainable systems for partner coordination and communication. By moving from ad hoc collaboration to structured, long-term coalition leadership, the initiative aims to reduce duplication of efforts, amplify Hmong voices, strengthen culturally responsive mental health advocacy and improve community wellbeing across Wisconsin.

The Challenge

With the trust and cultural credibility to bring organizations together, this organization is leading efforts to establish Wisconsin’s first statewide Hmong Mental Health Coalition focused on improving community healthy through sharing resources, strengthening partnerships and reducing duplication of work among Hmong-serving nonprofits. As interest in mental health collaboration continues to grow, the organization recognized the need to build its own capacity through strategic planning and leadership development to ensure the coalition can be sustained long term. This work comes at a critical time, as Hmong communities in Wisconsin experience disproportionately high rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicide and family violence due to war-related and intergenerational trauma. Cultural stigma, language barriers, limited trust in health systems and a lack of culturally competent care continue to prevent many individuals and families from accessing mental health services, highlighting the need for a coordinated, culturally grounded approach.

Project Goals

This project’s goal is to build the organization’s long-term sustainability by strengthening its fundraising strategy and board leadership. To accomplish this, the organization will:

Develop a long-term strategic funding plan by working with a planning consultant to create and begin implementing a sustainable fundraising strategy.
Strengthen the board’s understanding of its role in strategic funding by supporting six board members to attend a conference and share what they learn with the full board.

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