Courageous Action for the Health of Our Communities

The final day of the 2025 Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy focused on milestone moments in health like the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and elevated the philanthropic partnerships already inspiring a better tomorrow. While much of the conference was spent reflecting, today was marked by action and what comes next: standing firm in values, being courageous, and co-creating a vision for the future.

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Reimagining Health Philanthropy, Together

During Day 2 of the 2025 Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy, attendees across sectors worked together to identify the intersections of their work and co-created solutions for healthier, thriving communities. Sessions spanned a wide range of topics, from exploring business’ role in health equity to strategies for supporting staff in uncertain times.

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Remarks on Defending Philanthropy’s Freedom to Give

President and CEO of Grantmakers In Health (GIH), Cara V. James, delivered opening remarks at the 2025 GIH Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy in New Orleans.

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Better Health Through Better Philanthropy - Grantmakers in Health

Shifting Paradigms in Promoting Oral Health for Young Children

Tooth decay remains the single most prevalent chronic disease of America’s children, affecting 44 percent by age six (Dye et al. 2007). Grantmakers, government, and the professions have long focused energy and resources on getting children into dental care to repair the ravages of this preventable disease and to eliminate associated pain and infection.

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Honoring Community Voices to Enhance Health Grantmaking

In philanthropic circles we spend a lot of time discussing the importance of how foundations can meet the needs of and strengthen communities. We expect our grants and program support will prompt change and improve lives, but how often do we end up doing things “to” a community as opposed to working “with” a community to achieve common goals?

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We Must Promote Health Equity in Spite of Current Economic Challenges

When the Whitehall Studies were first published, they identified not only a social gradient that correlated the relationship between social status and life expectancy, but new variables to consider when predicting population health outcomes. These variables included the economic, social, and physical environments in which people live.

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Doing a Lot with a Little: The Gulf Coast Fund

“Doing a Lot with a Little” is an occasional series of the GIH Bulletin showcasing small foundations that have creatively leveraged resources to achieve meaningful change.

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Making Money in the Nonprofit Sector: Social Enterprises to Support Missions

During the economic downturn, America’s social sector organizations are rising to the challenge. One way in which organizations are investing in a more sustainable future is through social enterprise. The Social Enterprise Alliance (2009) defines a social enterprise as “an organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods.”

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Initiatives in Education, Economic Development Present Challenges, Yield Big Rewards

The Rapides Foundation is a health care legacy dating back to 1994. The foundation’s grantmaking focus has always addressed traditional health care and health promotion priorities. We have funded medical training and programs that help people get access to medication and launched programs that helped communities fund walking trails and playgrounds.

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