The Community Core for the Center to Improve Chronic disease Outcomes through Multi-level and Multi- generational approaches Unifying Novel Interventions and Training for health EquitY (COMMUNITY Center) connects all of the projects, pilots, and cores to the diverse communities we serve approximately 2/3 non-white, 1/3 foreign-born, and 1/5 living below the Federal poverty line. As the central hub of the networks throughout the New York City region, we have aptly named the core, the CONNECTOME. The goals of community engagement—to build trust, foster bi-directional communication, create equitable systems and policies that promote and sustain economic, physical, mental and social health—define health equity for communities. While the commitment to community engagement is reflected in a number of major federal initiatives, we have yet to realize its full potential in addressing multiple chronic health conditions in an increasingly diverse United States population. Key reasons for the lack of realization of the full potential is that much research, care, and community outreach still remain focused on single chronic disease and often at later stages of the lifespan and frequently only at one academic institution. We are thrilled that this RFA is specifically designed to serve communities who suffer from multiple chronic diseases and rightly challenge us to have a more integrated approach reaching beyond the boundaries of academe and integrating across the siloed medical model to address upstream effects. This mechanism will provide the resources to develop sustainable interventions to improve community health across the NYC Region. The COMMUNITY Center partners CUIMC, WCMC, Hunter/CUNY and PAGNY (see Overall). To fully tackle the health disparities that exist in the NYC region, we must address the social determinants of health (SDOH) and broader social contexts that shape health and disease. The COMMUNITY Center seeks to tackle the SDOH at the individual, interpersonal/community and societal levels. The COMMUNITY Core (CONNECTOME) supports these efforts by: 1) Synergizing and empowering a growing number New York City-based stakeholders (safety-net provider organizations, community members, community-based organizations, foundations, non-profits, CTSA’s and researchers) using a coalition approach to improving management of multiple chronic diseases, specifically CVD and cancer; 2) Serving as a focal point for organizing and nurturing productive bi-directional relationships between the COMMUNITY connectome members, core directors, investigators in the projects and pilots within and across our communities and stakeholder groups, and 3) Disseminating the information generated by the COMMUNITY program through the connectome to diverse audiences including our local communities, public and community colleges, and faith and community-based organization in New York and regional and national policy leaders to enact meaningful change. Integral to these aims are...