Apply the Community Change Model

MSU Extension’s Six-Step Community Change Model

Community change happens when people work together to identify shared challenges, build on local strengths and improve the places where they live, learn, work and play. While personal choices matter, they are shaped by available conditions and opportunities. Community change focuses on creating environments that make positive choices easier and more accessible for everyone.

MSU Extension’s Six-Step Community Change Model provides a simple, flexible process to help community champions plan, act and reflect. The steps guide you to define priorities, build a team, use local strengths, take action and sustain progress over time.

With a focus on small, realistic changes that fit local capacity, the model helps save time, reduce the need for retraining, and supports long-term success. It can also help strengthen existing efforts and meet funding or quality requirements.

Use the Six-Step Community Change Model Toolkit, a set of guides and worksheets, to apply the model in your community.

The six-step process can be used for many community priorities, including food access, active spaces, downtown revitalization, arts and culture, emergency preparedness and transportation.

Explore the six steps below to see how the Community Change Model works and how community champions help move change forward.

See the Six Steps in Action

Discover four nutrition and physical activity areas of practice that highlight how community champions drive meaningful, health‑improving change across the lifespan.