Why a Fractional Epidemiologist Could Be a Game‑Changer for Your Non‑Profit

If you run a small or mid-sized non-profit, your days are probably full of questions like:

• Are our programs actually improving community health

• How do climate, wildlife, and food systems affect the people we serve

• How do we prove impact to funders without burning out our team

That is the zone where a fractional epidemiologist can quietly change everything.

Instead of hiring a full-time senior scientist, you bring in an epidemiologist on a fractional basis. They help you design studies, make sense of data, build better programs and measure impact, on a scale that fits your budget and staff capacity.

When that person is also a One Health fractional epidemiologist someone trained to think across humans, animals, and the environment you get not only numbers but systems insight. One Health is a collaborative approach that recognizes the tight connection between human health, animal health and the environment and aims to improve all three together (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2025a; World Health Organization [WHO], 2024). For non-profits working in public health, community services, food security, wildlife conservation, environmental health and sustainability, this combination can be a powerful force for resilience.

First things first: what is a fractional epidemiologist

At its core, epidemiology is the study of how health states or events are distributed in populations and what factors influence them, with the goal of preventing and controlling health problems (Hajat, 2011 South University, 2024).

Epidemiologists:

• Design studies and surveys

• Analyze data to understand patterns and risk factors

• Evaluate whether programs are actually working

• Translate findings into recommendations for policy and practice (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 2020).

A fractional epidemiologist is simply an epidemiologist who works with your organization part time, on retainer or project based. Think of this as having a seasoned guide you can call in for the most complex questions, without needing a full department.

Typical fractional arrangements might include:

• A set number of hours each month for data, evaluation and strategy support

• Project based work such as designing and analyzing a specific study

• Short, intense phases for planning, then lighter ongoing monitoring

For smaller non-profits, this can be the difference between “we have stories and spreadsheets” and “we can clearly demonstrate impact and risks with confidence.”

Why the One Health lens matters for non-profits

One Health is described as an integrated approach that seeks to optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems together, instead of treating them as separate worlds (WHO, 2024 CDC, 2025a).

That matters deeply for non-profits because:

• Food systems connect farmers, wildlife, soil health, supply chains and community nutrition

• Climate change shifts disease vectors, water safety and habitat

• Urban planning shapes both mental health and biodiversity

• Agriculture and wildlife management alter the risk of zoonotic disease

A One Health fractional epidemiologist does not just ask “What is happening with human disease here” but also “What is going on with animals, environment, climate and infrastructure that shapes this outcome”.

This is the kind of thinking many funders are increasingly expecting, especially in grants related to climate resilience, zoonotic disease and sustainable development.

How a fractional epidemiologist supports small and mid-sized non-profits

Let’s look at the practical, non-hype ways a fractional epidemiologist can support you.

1. Turning “we think it helps” into “we know it helps”

Epidemiology is central to program evaluation. Epidemiologists are trained to examine program objectives alongside key indicators and real outcomes in order to assess effectiveness (Texas A&M School of Public Health, n.d.).

For a non-profit, that can look like:

• Setting up clear outcome and process indicators before a program launches

• Designing simple but rigorous surveys or datasets

• Analyzing pre- and post-data with attention to confounders

• Translating results into plain language for boards and funders

This supports beliefs about self and possibility. Leaders begin to see their organization as capable of genuine, measurable change, not just activity.

2. Building organizational resilience with real metrics

Resilience is easier to talk about than to measure. A fractional epidemiologist can help you identify KPIs and translational indicators that actually reflect the resilience you are trying to build.

Examples might include:

• Time from signal to response for outbreaks or hazards

• Changes in service uptake among high risk groups

• Shifts in incidence or prevalence of key conditions in your catchment area

• Network indicators such as number of active cross sector collaborations

Impact evaluation frameworks in public health increasingly stress the importance of clear indicators that link training, surveillance and response to system level impact (Flint et al., 2025 Koyie et al., 2024).

When a fractional epidemiologist works with your team, they help anchor the soft goals like capacity, trust, community ownership into trackable data.

3. Strengthening risk assessment and proactive planning

Epidemiological evidence is a critical foundation for risk assessment and public health protection (Phillips et al., 2024).

For a non-profit, that can mean:

• Identifying environmental or food safety risks in your programs

• Mapping populations most vulnerable to climate or disease threats

• Designing early warning indicators that fit your scale

• Advising on practical mitigation strategies grounded in evidence

This shifts beliefs about context. Instead of seeing the world as only threatening and chaotic, your team has a more precise map of where the real risks lie and where your efforts make the most difference.

Sector by sector: where a One Health fractional epidemiologist fits

Now let’s walk through the sectors you mentioned and paint concrete pictures of what a One Health fractional epidemiologist can do.

Public health and health focused non-profits

Public health non-profits often sit close to government health departments but with more flexibility. Epidemiologists are described as the backbone of public health because their work connects surveillance, program design and prevention (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 2020 South University, 2024).

A fractional epidemiologist can help:

• Design community health needs assessments that recognize environmental and social determinants

• Set up simple surveillance for issues like vector borne disease, outbreaks or chronic disease trends

• Evaluate outreach programs such as vaccination drives, screening campaigns or mental health initiatives

• Train staff on basic epidemiological thinking so your whole team becomes more data literate

Typical projects:

• Evaluating whether a mobile clinic model is reaching high risk groups

• Analyzing patterns of disease reports around an industrial site or polluted waterway

• Designing a before and after study of a new maternal health initiative in a rural area

  
  

Community services and social support organizations

Many community based organizations do work that is deeply health related even if they do not label it that way. Housing, transportation, food, education and social connection all act as determinants of health.

Here a fractional epidemiologist can:

• Map the relationship between your services and health outcomes such as stress, hospitalizations, overdoses or injury

• Help segment your client population to identify those at highest risk and tailor services

• Co create evaluations with community members to honor lived experience and local knowledge

• Provide analysis to support advocacy efforts around social determinants of health

For example, a community center might want to know whether its safe housing program reduces emergency department visits for its clients. An epidemiologist can help define the comparison group, choose indicators and calculate the effect size, while still respecting ethical and privacy constraints.

Food security and nutrition non-profits

Food systems sit right at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health. One Health thinking is a natural fit here (CDC, 2025a). CDC

A One Health fractional epidemiologist can support:

• Monitoring for food borne illness signals connected to your programs

• Assessing nutritional status changes in communities served by your food distribution or urban agriculture initiatives

• Evaluating how shifts in supply chains or climate are affecting food security and health risks

• Collaborating with veterinarians or environmental scientists when animal or soil health is part of the picture

Common project types:

• Evaluating whether a produce prescription program changes key biomarkers or self reported health

• Analyzing patterns of gastrointestinal illness linked to community events or markets

• Assessing the impact of heat waves on food distribution safety and operations

Wildlife conservation non-profits

Wildlife conservation is no longer just about species counts. It is also about the movement of pathogens, human encroachment, livestock interfaces and climate shifts. One Health approaches were largely born from this reality, especially the spread of zoonotic diseases across species and ecosystems (One Health Initiative Task Force, as cited in One Health, 2025).

A One Health fractional epidemiologist can:

• Help design surveillance systems for zoonotic diseases in wildlife, livestock and nearby communities

• Analyze factors that increase or decrease spillover risk during conservation or rewilding projects

• Work with local partners to build community awareness of safe practices around wildlife

• Support grant proposals that require strong One Health framing and data plans

Example projects:

• Assessing disease risk around bat habitats and nearby human settlements

• Evaluating the combined health and conservation impact of a rabies vaccination campaign in dogs and wildlife

• Linking wildlife movement data to human disease incidence in ecotourism areas

  
  

Environmental health non-profits

Environmental health focuses on how air, water, soil and built environments affect human health. Epidemiology is central to connecting exposure to outcome (University of Cincinnati, n.d.).

A fractional epidemiologist can help you:

• Link air quality data to respiratory outcomes in vulnerable groups

• Study how urban heat islands influence heat related illness, especially under climate change

• Evaluate the health effects of remediation projects or green infrastructure

• Translate scientific findings into clear messages for communities and policymakers

Project examples:

• Analyzing asthma exacerbations before and after implementation of an industrial emissions policy

• Studying emergency department visits during heat waves in neighborhoods with low tree cover

• Evaluating whether a water filter distribution program lowers gastrointestinal illness rates

Sustainability and climate resilience organizations

Sustainability focused non-profits often design programs meant to improve long term resilience for people and ecosystems. A One Health fractional epidemiologist can make sure those programs can demonstrate health impact alongside environmental benefit.

They might:

• Develop indicators that track both ecosystem health and human health outcomes

• Evaluate adaptation projects such as cooling centers, climate smart agriculture or flood protection

• Help model future risk scenarios to guide strategy and advocacy

• Collaborate with economists or planners to connect health impacts to financial and social metrics

This kind of work reinforces beliefs about method and offer. Your approach is not only values aligned but also demonstrably effective in protecting health in a changing climate.

Making it practical: how to work with a fractional epidemiologist

Here is a simple roadmap that respects the reality of smaller teams.

Step 1. Clarify the core question

Instead of starting with “We need data,” start with “What decision do we need to make” or “What do we need to prove or learn”. This keeps the scope focused and aligned with your mission.

Examples:

• Do our services reduce emergency visits among our clients

• Are we unintentionally increasing any health risks through our programming

• Which communities are most impacted by this environmental hazard

Step 2. Map your data reality

A fractional epidemiologist can help you inventory what you already have:

• Service usage records

• Basic demographic data

• Survey results

• Local public health data

• Environmental or wildlife monitoring data

They can then advise what is possible now and what might require new data collection.

Step 3. Design a right sized study or evaluation

The goal is not to turn your organization into a research lab. It is to design studies and monitoring systems that are rigorous enough to be trusted and simple enough to be sustainable.

That might include:

• Clear inclusion criteria and sampling plans

• Feasible data collection tools for frontline staff

• Realistic timelines that align with program cycles

• Transparent analysis plans that can be shared with funders and partners

Step 4. Build in communication and storytelling

A fractional epidemiologist can help you translate complex results into:

• Clear narratives for annual reports

• Visual dashboards for your website

• Plain language summaries for communities

• Structured data elements that your web team can mark up for better search understanding

This supports both your external storytelling and your beliefs about owner and creator. You present yourself as a mission driven organization that takes evidence, equity and transparency seriously.

Bringing it back to your mission

Underneath all the jargon, most non-profit leaders want the same things.

You want to know that your work is actually easing suffering and building resilience. You want to steward resources wisely. You want to protect your team from burnout and your community from preventable harm.

A fractional epidemiologist especially one grounded in One Health thinking is not a magic fix. They are a partner in making your mission more measurable, more coherent and more sustainable.

They help your organization:

• Believe more deeply in its own capacity to create change

• See the surrounding context with clearer eyes

• Hold a bigger sense of what is possible

• Strengthen the methods you use to get there

• Articulate an offer that funders and communities can trust

• Stand in your identity as a thoughtful, data informed, justice oriented organization

That is the quiet power of inviting rigorous science into the heart of mission driven work in a way that fits your size.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025a, January 10). U.S. government releases first National One Health plan to address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness. https://www.cdc.gov/

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. (2020, October 21). What is epidemiology. https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/

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Flint, J. A., et al. (2025). Development of an impact evaluation framework and planning tool for field epidemiology training programs. Human Resources for Health, 23(1).

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Hajat, C. (2011). An introduction to epidemiology. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 65(1), 1–2.

Koyie, S. L., et al. (2024). A scoping review on how field epidemiology training programs contribute to health systems. Frontiers in Public Health, 12.

Phillips, C. V., et al. (2024). What risk assessors told us they want. Journal of Risk Analysis and Public Health, 4(2).

South University. (2024, July 3). Public health concepts: Understanding epidemiology. https://www.southuniversity.edu/

Texas A&M School of Public Health. (n.d.). The influence of epidemiology in public health areas. https://public-health.tamu.edu/

University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine. (n.d.). Epidemiology | Environmental & public health sciences. https://med.uc.edu/depart/eh/divisions/epi

Williams, J. (2025, October 9). Google AI search guidelines: What they mean for SEO. SEO Sherpa. https://seosherpa.com/google-ai-search-guidelines/

World Health Organization. (2024). One Health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/one-health