Humana Foundation Advances Equity Through Community-Engaged Research Practices

Grantmakers In Health’s Maya Schane spoke with Heather Hyden and Soojin Conover of the Humana Foundation about the Foundation’s recently published report, Strengthening Science and Community Impact Through Equitable Research Practices. The report examines innovative research methods adopted by the Foundation’s partners to promote health equity in public health research through community-engaged research practices.

Read More →

Collaborating for Impact: Providing Trust-Based Grantmaking and Technical Assistance to Support Local Resilience to Extreme Weather Events

In the last few years, there has been an increased number of extreme weather events, including wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and heatwaves in the United States. In 2023, the United States experienced 28 disasters that cost at least $1 billion, the largest number of billion-dollar disasters in a single year on record (Smith 2024). While some areas of the country are more susceptible to these threats, there are no regions immune to disasters. According to a recent Gallup poll, 37 percent of adults in the United States report they have been personally impacted by at least one extreme weather event in the last two years, which is higher than the 2022/2023 survey result at 33 percent.

Read More →

Working Through Challenges to Sharing Power With Community: Highlights from a session at Grantmakers in Health’s Annual Conference

The people closest to the issue best know the solutions. For health funders, sharing power with community could mean giving residents a voice in shaping your grantmaking priorities or where grant dollars are spent. Many funders understand that solutions are more likely to be successful when the people who are most affected have a voice in shaping them. But when it comes to including that voice, the work often stalls before it starts.

Read More →

Case Study Examines Early Learnings in Using Medicaid Payments for Food is Medicine

A new resource commissioned by the Fair Food Network examines the early learnings from the Healthy Opportunities Pilots effort in North Carolina to use federal 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver funding to scale and sustain community-based implementation of a combination of produce prescription programs, medically tailored meal programs, and nutrition education.

Read More →

Grantmakers In Health Position Statement: Nutrition Security in the 2023 Farm Bill

Grantmakers In Health firmly believes a Farm Bill that prioritizes a wholistic approach addressing both the roots causes of nutrition insecurity and the immediate needs of communities is of paramount importance to health and can lead to better health for all.

Read More →

2023 Rural Health Road Trip—Collaboration in Big Sky Country

It is hard to believe we are approaching the end of summer. It has been a bit of a blur, going from one conference to the next, and planning for fall meetings. For the second year since joining GIH, I was able to participate in our rural health road trip, an annual tradition started by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and National Rural Health Association in 2014.

Read More →

Introducing Cecilia Amor Kramer, Grantmakers In Health’s Director of Development

This month, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) Communications Specialist Miranda Wesley sat down with Cecilia Amor Kramer, GIH’s Director of Development, to learn more about Cecilia’s career in health and development and how her experience applies to GIH’s mission of advancing better health for all through better philanthropy. Cecilia discusses the influence of Hawaiian culture on her life and career, the impact of her public health education, and how funders can support Native Hawaiian populations and those experiencing substance use disorder or homelessness.

Read More →

Thirty-Three Years Later: Oral Health Care Still Not Accessible for Individuals with Disabilities

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted on July 26, 1990, stands as one of the most significant civil rights laws in U.S. history. Designed to eliminate discrimination and ensure equal opportunities for Americans with disabilities, the ADA has had a profound impact on advancing health equity in various domains, including oral health. The ADA has been a transformative force in advancing health equity for Americans with disabilities by championing their rights to accessible health care services. Under Title II of the ADA, state and local governments, including public healthcare institutions, are mandated to offer equal access and reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. This ensures that medical facilities, including dental offices, are equipped to cater to diverse patient needs, fostering an environment where disabled individuals can receive oral health services with dignity and equality

Read More →

Episcopal Health Foundation’s Journey in Advancing Medicaid Non-Medical Drivers of Health in Texas

Access to affordable medical care is vitally important, but it is only 20 percent of what contributes to a person’s overall health. The remaining 80 percent is determined by social and economic status, health behaviors, community safety, physical environment, and much more. From grantmaking to working with community partners and congregations to providing research, EHF supports solutions that address underlying factors impacting health.

Read More →