THRIVE was created to answer the question, what can communities do to improve health and safety and promote health equity? THRIVE is a framework for understanding how structural drivers play out at the community level to impact the social-cultural, physical/built, and economic/ educational environments - i.e. the community determinants of health - and consequently, health and safety outcomes, and inequities in outcomes. THRIVE is also a tool for engaging community members and practitioners in assessing the status of community determinants, prioritizing them, and taking action to change them to improve health, safety, and health equity. As a framework, THRIVE has wide applicability to local, state, and national initiatives to inform policy and program direction. As a tool, THRIVE can be used in a variety of planning and implementation processes, from neighborhood level planning to community health needs assessments (CHNA) and community health improvement planning (CHIP) processes.

The U.S. Office of Minority Health funded the initial development and piloting of an earlier version of the tool in 3 U.S. locales (2002-2004). The California Endowment provided resources for the initial research and conceptualization of the THRIVE factors. ZeroDivide (formerly the California Community Technology Foundation) provided resources for subsequent modifications to reflect language that is more community friendly. From 2010-2015, the U.S. Office of Minority Health provided funding to the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) and Prevention Institute to update THRIVE and expand its reach through training for NNPHI's member public health institutes and dissemination through NNPHI's membership and networks.

Between 2012 and 2015, twelve public health institutes were trained to use THRIVE. The twelve institutes in turn conducted THRIVE trainings in their communities, and integrated THRIVE into ongoing organizational processes and programmatic efforts. Institutes offered professional trainings to participants from a variety of sectors and residents from low-income communities of color, including youth, and residents who are immigrants and refugees with limited English proficiency. Through the use of THRIVE, institutes formed multi-sector coalitions; deepened their understanding of, and commitment to, addressing community determinants of health through comprehensive, multi-sector strategies; built a foundation for future action plans and activities; developed long-term action plans; and, engaged in local and state policy and practice change initiatives.

To inquire about THRIVE, or to request training, technical assistance, or consultation on the use of THRIVE, contact consult@preventioninstitute.org.