Better health for all through better philanthropy

Grantmakers In Health is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people.

2024 Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy

2023 Year in Review

February 20, 2024
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The 2023 Grantmakers In Health (GIH) Year in Review report explores a year’s worth of innovative programming, details the launch of GIH’s inaugural policy agenda, provides an update on the ongoing implementation of GIH’s strategic plan, and previews GIH’s priorities for 2024.

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The Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy

Nominate a Rising Star for the 2024 Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy.

The nomination period is now open! The program emphasizes leadership development, exploration of critical issues facing the field, and building collegial connections that can endure throughout fellows’ careers.

Terrance Keenan Institute fellows will spend two days with seasoned leaders from the field of health philanthropy. The institute will take place October 8-9, 2024, in Washington, DC.

Deadline Extended: Nominations must be received by Thursday, March 28, 2024.

Grantmakers In Health Announces 2024 Award Winners

Billie Hall of the Sunflower Foundation to Be Honored with the 2024 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health Philanthropy

March 26, 2024

Billie Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sunflower Foundation in Kansas, will receive Grantmakers In Health’s 2024 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health Philanthropy.

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Joan Alker of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families to Be Honored with the Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy

March 26, 2024

Joan Alker, Executive Director and a cofounder of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) in Washington, DC, will receive Grantmakers In Health’s 2024 Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy.

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Announcing GIH's 2024 Policy Priorities

GIH seeks to take a more active role in defining the key issues that will advance better health for all and support health philanthropy with thought leadership and programming to make a lasting impact by influencing advocacy, policy, and funding in targeted areas

This policy agenda identifies our public policy priorities for the coming year. We selected priorities that effect policy and systems change towards health and health equity; align with GIH’s strategic plan; are actionable, timely, relevant, evidence-based, and realistic for GIH’s involvement; galvanize staff, Board, Funding Partners, and health philanthropy; leverage GIH’s organizational resources and unique positioning to lead; and allow GIH to remain nonpartisan. We hope these priorities will also inspire the field of health philanthropy and encourage greater collaboration and commitment to common policy goals among funders. We look forward to working with funders and others to advance this agenda.

GIH Health Policy Update Newsletter

An Exclusive Resource for Funding Partners

The Health Policy Update is a new monthly newsletter produced in collaboration with Trust for America’s Health. Drawing on GIH’s policy priorities outlined in our policy agenda and our strategic objective of increasing our policy and advocacy presence, the Health Policy Update provides GIH Funding Partners with a range of federal health policy news.

A Compass of Indispensable Leadership Attributes to Guide Health Philanthropy

January 26, 2024
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Trends in leadership are changing—just take the Terrance Keenan Institute as an example. When the program started in 2010, it focused on general leadership tactics with topics that ranged from leveraging resources and building partnerships to board dynamics. Since then, the Institute’s curriculum has moved towards a recognition that leaders possess individual strengths that can be embraced to make our organizations and the broader field of health philanthropy more effective.

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GIH Bulletin + News

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Grantmakers In Health Announces 2024 Award Winners

Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is pleased to announce Billie Hall of the Sunflower Foundation in Kansas, as the 2024 recipient of the Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health, and Joan Alker of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families in Washington, DC, as the 2024 recipient of the Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy.

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Grantmakers In Health President and CEO Cara V. James Appointed to District of Columbia Commission on Health Equity

Cara V. James, President and CEO of Grantmakers In Health (GIH), has been appointed as a voting member of the District of Columbia Commission on Health Equity by Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser.

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Recent Reports

The Story of Care: A Snapshot of the Care Narrative Change Landscape

At some point, every one of us will need care or need to provide care. The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the extraordinary contributions of caregivers and exposed the failings caused by our nation’s lack of care policies, especially for communities of color. Deploying narrative-change strategies across care-related issues will help create the conditions for cultural and policy progress. The goal of this report is to share with funders the promising narrative-change strategies and tactics that have been identified, a directory of funders and grantees who are supporting this work, and how philanthropy can best support this effort.

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2023 Survey Summary: Climate Change Strategies

This infographic summarizes the responses to a Grantmakers In Health funder survey, conducted in May and June 2023, on how philanthropy is addressing climate change, and the barriers and opportunities that exist to support climate-related efforts.

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Funder Support for Health Care Transformation

This infographic summarizes the responses to a Grantmakers In Health funder poll, conducted October 2022, on how philanthropy is supporting health care transformation efforts, especially those concerned with improving quality of life, coordinating complex care, and taking patient preferences into account.

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Perspectives From Health Philanthropy

A New Generation of Researchers: Hearing from Youth Leaders on Their Well-Being

Building upon a previous conversation with Juan Martinez of the Aspen Institute and Cynthia Weaver of The Annie E. Casey Foundation on their collaboration on the Youth and Young Adult Well-Being project, the following Q&A features three paid youth consultants who are leading the research initiative as the Youth and Young Adult Well-Being core team. Each team member represents a different cultural affinity group in the well-being project: Desiree Armas from Latine Bienestar, Niara Frankson from Black Expressions of Well-Being, and Zenetta Zepeda from American Indian/Alaska Native.

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Lessons from the Washington AIDS Partnership: How to Take Big Risks and Move Quickly to Drive Change

The Washington AIDS Partnership, a collaboration of grantmaking organizations with a mission of ending the HIV epidemic in the Greater Washington region, was founded in 1988 with the support of the Ford Foundation and 20 DC-area foundations. The organization’s charge was to make grants to the community as quickly as possible. At that time, Washington, DC had the fifth-highest HIV rate in the country, and the epidemic was out of control. As the city has made great progress reaching goals set in the DC Ends HIV Plan, the Washington AIDS Partnership determined in 2023 that its role in the fight to end the local epidemic was coming to an end. The organization will officially conclude its work in the first quarter of 2024.

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Leading Boldly, Building Trust: Lessons from a Community-Driven Strategic Planning Process

The Horizon Foundation of Howard County, Maryland believes that everyone in our community deserves to live abundant and healthy lives. But there are barriers standing in the way of some of our residents—particularly people of color—from achieving that vision. We know that for too long, inequitable laws, policies, and practices have held back many of our neighbors. The Foundation recently completed a 14-month long strategic planning process to figure out how to address these systemic barriers in a way that centers the voices of our community members who are most impacted. We realized that our work—what we focus on, who we engage with, and how we make decisions—needed to fundamentally change.

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Upcoming Webinars

Roundtable Discussion for Health Funders’ Policy Staff

Join this informal roundtable discussion to connect with your peers, explore pressing issues, and share your experiences collaborating with philanthropic liaisons in state government. 

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Advocacy for the Older Americans Act Reauthorization: What Can My 501c 3 Foundation Do?

Join us for a workshop that will provide you with a clear understanding of what advocacy activities your 501(c)(3) organization can engage in, what communications count as lobbying, and how to maximize your non-lobbying advocacy. 

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Food and Nutrition Policy in Indian Country 

Participants will learn about the current federal and state policy landscape, opportunities and challenges facing advocates, and community-based strategies that are making a difference in communities across Indian Country.

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Upcoming Convenings

2024 GIH Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy

We are excited to announce that the 2024 GIH annual conference, Bold Results Through Courageous Action, will be held on June 4 – 6 in Portland, Oregon at Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center. Every year, GIH brings together the bright minds, seasoned experts, and innovative practitioners working in health philanthropy today.

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Vice President of Community Investment and Impact

The Vice President of Community Investments & Impact role represents an exciting opportunity for an individual who has a passion for advancing health and well-being and a deep appreciation of the important role of philanthropy and of CHF in strengthening the organizations that are working to advance health equity in Colorado. CHF seeks an inspired and inspiring, skilled and experienced, values-driven leader to join the team at an important moment for Colorado, and for CHF.

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Director, Aging Initiatives

The Director of Aging Initiatives will lead our Rural Aging Action Network (RAAN), a mature collaborative of Lutheran Services in America members with a leading presence in rural communities. The role will lead and grow this innovative program, which has been recognized by aging industry leaders. Come join us to grow this pioneering solution advancing health and opportunity for all older adults in rural communities!

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Director of Impact Learning and Evaluation

The Director of Impact Learning and Evaluation strategically leads the assessment of the Foundation’s work and investments, commissioning or applying research and data – including community voice – that informs the development and refinement of strategy and assesses progress towards the Foundation’s goals. This is a leadership position that partners with impact, communications, and investment teams, and regularly presents to the board of directors.

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Chief Communications Officer

Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) seeks a strategic communications executive with a passion for building connections through communications to serve as Chief Communications Officer (CCO). A critical partner to the CEO and leaders across the organization, the CCO will create a cohesive plan to advance the organization’s mission and values through communications.

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FEATURED POSITION

Executive Assistant

This position is responsible for supporting the President and CEO, the Vice President for Programing, and the Board of Directors. Act as the primary point of contact for the Executive Management Team, facilitate communications with the staff, organizational constituency, and leaders in the field. Serve as the President and CEO’s primary liaison to the board.

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Staff and trustees of foundations and corporate giving programs may receive strategic guidance from program staff, experts, and peers.

Communications Community of Practice

Resources for communications staff designed to foster peer relationships, accelerate the sharing of innovative and effective communications approaches, and identify strategies to combat misinformation & disinformation.

Trustee Tools and Resources

Browse trustee-tailored content related to governance, strategy, and effectiveness.