Cultivating Culturally Competent Organizations: Making the Transition for Health Equity

Cara Chervin Pearsall, Grantmakers In Health

In an environment characterized by increasing cultural diversity, health philanthropy continues to develop new approaches to promote health equity. As foundations learn from past work, that field is shifting. In the early 1990s, health philanthropy directed attention and resources to programs seeking to build the cultural and linguistic competency of providers to improve quality of and access to care for vulnerable communities. Now funders are increasingly focused on tackling the social and community determinants that shape health. As the field evolves, key opportunities exist for health funders to guide the transition to new strategies to address disparities and promote health equity.