
Transparent accountability for authentic health equity work
Our Community Commitments
We're just getting started, but our accountability measures are already in place. Here's what we've committed to from day one:
Community Service Guarantee
20% of annual organizational hours dedicated to reduced-rate or pro bono work
All NHEC-affiliated consultants commit to the same community service standard
Sliding scale pricing ensuring accessibility across economic circumstances
Community benefit value scales with organizational growth—more success means more community impact
Financial Transparency
15% of annual profits reinvested in community health equity initiatives
Public pricing transparency showing how premium rates enable community subsidization
Annual Community Impact Report with verified metrics and community feedback
Community Advisory Council oversight of financial commitments and impact measurement
Accessibility Commitments
Payment flexibility: Accepting in-kind contributions, skills exchanges, and deferred payment
Resource sharing: Free toolkits, frameworks, and educational materials publicly available
Knowledge commons: Research findings and methodologies shared openly
Barrier reduction: Multiple pathways for community organizations to access support
Community Advisory Council: Building Authentic Oversight
We're currently recruiting our Community Advisory Council to ensure authentic community accountability from the start.
Planned Council Composition:
Community representatives from equity-deserving groups including Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities (minimum 40%)
Rural and Northern Ontario community members (minimum 30%)
Healthcare and social service professionals (maximum 20%)
Academic and research partners (maximum 10%)
Their Role Will Include:
Quarterly review of Community Access Policy implementation
Assessment of eligibility criteria and decision consistency
Community feedback integration and policy recommendations
Annual evaluation of community benefit delivery
Strategic guidance on community partnership development
Community-Centered Recruitment: We're taking the time needed to build authentic relationships and invite community leaders to participate. Council members will receive appropriate compensation once our revenue supports it.
Annual Impact Reports
Transparency Promise: Every January, we publish our Annual Community Impact Report with verified metrics, community feedback, and third-party accountability review.
What We'll Track:
Total community benefit hours and financial value provided
Community-defined success metrics and outcome measurement
Participant feedback and satisfaction assessment
Cross-subsidy model effectiveness and sustainability indicators
Community feedback on our authentic partnership approach
Community Verification: Our Community Advisory Council (once established) will review and validate all impact claims before publication.
First Report Timeline: We'll publish our first comprehensive Annual Community Impact Report in January 2027 (covering 2026). We may release a shorter summary of 2025 community activities in early 2026 as we get started.
How to Access Community Services
Automatic Eligibility (Free Services)
Indigenous communities and organizations (regardless of budget size)
Grassroots patient and family organizations
Community organizations with annual operating budgets under $100,000
Organizations serving Northern Ontario's most marginalized communities
Note: Eligibility doesn't guarantee immediate availability—we maintain sustainable capacity limits to ensure quality service delivery.
Sliding Scale Eligibility (Reduced Rates)
Non-profit organizations with annual budgets $100,000-$500,000
Community health organizations without government core funding
Educational institutions with community benefit missions
Organizations demonstrating financial need and significant community impact
Application Process
Complete our Community Access Application
Provide organizational budget and description of community served
Initial review and community consultation (timeline varies based on community protocols and relationship building needs)
Decision communication with clear rationale and appeals process
Partnership planning with clear expectations and success metrics
Note: We respect that authentic community engagement takes time, especially with Indigenous communities. Our application process prioritizes relationship building over speed.
Capacity Management: We maintain maximum 40% of organizational capacity for community access services to ensure cross-subsidy model sustainability and quality service delivery.
Our Cross-Subsidy Business Model
How it works: Premium consulting rates from hospitals, health systems, government agencies, and for-profit healthcare enable reduced-rate and free services for community organizations, Indigenous communities, and grassroots groups.
Why this matters: Instead of competing for the same limited grant funding that community organizations need, we generate revenue from institutions with consulting budgets to fund community access.
The commitment: Minimum 20% of our organizational hours and 15% of annual profits go directly to community benefit—separate from our paying work.
Why For-Profit Works Better Than Non-Profit
Let's address the elephant in the room: yes, we're a for-profit health equity consulting business. Here's why that's actually better for northern communities than traditional charity models.
What for-profit enables:
Operational flexibility and strategic vision enabling rapid response to community needs without complex board approval processes
Premium expertise retention through fair compensation for specialized northern health equity knowledge
Long-term regional presence rather than grant-dependent project cycles that end when funding runs out
Financial sustainability without competing for limited grant funding that community organizations need
What non-profit creates:
Grant dependency that creates unstable, short-term programming vulnerable to funding cuts
Complex governance that can shift priorities away from community needs through board dynamics
Revenue restrictions that limit income integration and sustainable business growth
Fundraising obligations that take time away from direct community service
The result: We're not just consultants who happen to care about community benefit. We're a business built specifically to cross-subsidize community access through professional-rate work with well-funded institutions.
Our Future Vision
2025: Establish authentic community partnerships and begin annual impact reporting
2026: Launch first free community health equity toolkit funded by consulting revenue
2027: Achieve 40% community access capacity with measurable health equity improvements
2028: Explore foundation establishment when business reaches sustainable scale
2030+:Regional recognition as authentic community partner with transparent accountability
The bottom line: We're building a sustainable business that serves community benefit through professional expertise fairly compensated. No corporate speak, no performative consulting—just results that matter for northern communities.
Ready to Partner with Us?
Whether you're questioning our authenticity (thank you for holding us accountable!), exploring community partnership opportunities, or considering how our cross-subsidy model could work for your organization, we're here for honest conversations.
For Community Organizations
Learn more about our Community Access Policy and application process.
For Premium Clients
Your consulting investments directly enable community benefit. Every premium engagement funds free and reduced-rate services for organizations that need expertise but lack resources.
For Skeptics and Critics
We welcome tough questions about authenticity, accountability, and community benefit. Once our Community Advisory Council is established, meetings will include public input opportunities.