Community-led change: Progress toward policy, systems, and environmental impacts through the Catalyzing Communities initiative

Fourteen changemakers completed surveys and ten participated in interviews. They led 82 local champions across six communities in prioritizing and implementing 21 community-informed actions. Actions differed across communities based on local priorities, including enhancing early childhood and school programs, improving food access, promoting active living, and fostering community connections. Most actions were ongoing, in progress at the time of data collection, and partially successful in reaching target populations. Capacity-building strategies - such as peer networking, tools like causal loop diagrams, and technical assistance - were critical for building relationships, enhancing systems thinking, and securing funding. Contextual factors, including committee synergy, readiness, organizational capacity, and the impact of COVID-19, shaped progress toward PSE changes.