In which stage are planned efforts being supported by community decision-makers?

The focus of this question is on the stage in which community decision-makers actively support planned efforts. When considering the stages of community change or intervention models, the institutional or stabilization stage represents a critical phase where strategies and initiatives begin to take root within the community structure.

During this stage, there is a recognition from decision-makers and key stakeholders of the value these efforts provide, leading to ongoing support and resources being allocated to sustain them. This support can manifest in various forms, such as policy changes, funding commitments, and integration of these initiatives into existing community programs, demonstrating a strong alignment between community goals and the planned interventions.

In contrast, other stages such as initiation and confirmation/expansion involve different dynamics. Initiation typically focuses on the start-up of new initiatives, which may lack the comprehensive support of established decision-makers. Meanwhile, the confirmation/expansion stage is more about assessing the effectiveness and possibly scaling up successful efforts rather than solidifying the foundational support from decision-makers. Lastly, the professionalism/high level of community ownership stage indicates a maturation of the efforts but is characterized more by community ownership and self-sustainability rather than reliance on decision-makers.

Thus, identifying the institutional/stabilization stage correctly highlights a key moment when community decision-makers are actively