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.
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.
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.
Healing for Our Healers: Funding Transformational Staff Wellness
The Healing Trust has prioritized support beyond the programmatic check since the early years of our grantmaking in 2003. While the “how” of the funding has changed over time, the “why” has consistently been to support the healing of nonprofit staff. This isn’t tangential to making strategic community-based investments, rather it is the foundation on which meaningful change can emerge. When funders invest in the well-being of the staff of partner organizations, it creates a culture where all people’s needs are prioritized and compassionately met. The nonprofit network thrives when its leaders are well-rested. When staff are well taken care of, the clients benefit by means of an energized supporter who shows up with creativity, patience, compassion, and joy.
Striving for Equity: Riding to Success with Mobile Health
The Leon Lowenstein Foundation (LLF) is a family foundation established in 1941 with a focus on health, education, and the environment. In 2019, LLF adopted a new focus area for our health grantmaking. Our goal was to develop a strategy that would enable us to make a meaningful contribution to health equity, particularly through enhanced access to primary and preventive health services in disadvantaged communities.
Centering Black Voices: Lessons from a Two-Year Pilot Program in the Kansas City Region
The REACH Healthcare Foundation’s mission is to advance health equity through coverage and care for underserved people. A regional foundation granting about $4.5 million annually, REACH recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. To mark this milestone, Board and staff leadership reflected on the foundation’s evolution from a highly politicized health care conversion foundation at its inception to a philanthropy striving to reshape its actions and practices to reflect a more reparative approach focused squarely on health equity.
Building Community Power to Improve Climate Resilience and Health Equity: Learning What It Takes
Over the past decade, many health foundations have shifted from funding specific programs to addressing social determinants of health by supporting policy and systems change strategies Abundant research has demonstrated that low-income communities of color face structural barriers to health that more affluent white communities do not, ranging from access to healthy food to stable housing and clean air. These differences in community conditions didn’t happen by accident—they are the result of intentional policy decisions over generations that apportioned resources and opportunities along racial and ethnic lines.
Maternal Mental Health Equity Fund: November 2023
MMHEF will be investing in a national cohort of organizations and leaders from within communities—and across the country—who are delivering models of care that are built in and by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Proposals are due by Friday, January 12, 2024
Health Leads: November 2023
Leaders of U.S. community-based organizations are encouraged to apply and participate in our 10-week Makers Residency. Participants will receive funding, coaching, resources, peer support and connection, and technical assistance. Applications are due by Friday, January 5, 2024.