Healthier Information Ecosystems: Strategies for Health Philanthropy
Our information environment is transforming—including the places and people who help us make decisions about our health. Those health information ecosystems are fragmented; filled with information from a wide range of expertise and sources; and platform algorithms exert tremendous and unseen control over what messages are seen, shared, and amplified. These changes have many of our traditional health information sources racing to learn new skills to ensure they remain trusted and relevant.
Beyond Innovation: How Philanthropy Can Strengthen Systems to Improve Rural Health Outcomes
Sometimes innovation in philanthropy is associated with breakthrough technologies or new medical discoveries. But some of the most impactful investments fund something less visible: the coordination of people, protocols, and institutions already in place so they work together seamlessly to save lives.
A Philanthropic Tree of Life: Seeding Health Equity through Influence and Innovation
Philanthropy can function as a living ecosystem for change rooted in equity, nourished by trust, and bearing the fruits of community well-being. The Direct Relief Fund for Health Equity (DRFHE), launched with $50 million in initial investments, exemplifies a transformative philanthropic model supporting nearly 200 community-based organizations across the United States. Acknowledging DRFHE as a “Tree of Life” offers a framework grounded in community-led, trust-based, and unrestricted giving that challenges traditional philanthropic paradigms. Therefore, this article describes the fund’s origins, strategic priorities, and outcomes, and introduces the DRFHE Tree of Life framework as a replicable model for equity-driven philanthropy.
GIH Health Policy Update Newsletter
The Latest
An Exclusive Resource for Funding Partners
The Health Policy Update is a newsletter produced in collaboration with Leavitt Partners and 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.
Moving from Intention to Impact: Funding Racial Equity to Win
In a joint report, Moving from Intention to Impact: Funding Racial Equity to Win, PolicyLink and The Bridgespan Group examines commitment to funding for racial equity work in the US. In the last year, donors across the spectrum from foundations to corporations have made unprecedented commitments to advancing racial equity. Two key takeaways from the report to encourage funders to make real impact in racial equity is the need for transparent reporting and being responsive to the needs of movement leaders.
The 2020 DAPP Report – Change Philanthropy
Change Philanthropy has released its 2020 Diversity Among Philanthropic Professionals Report that analyzes the philanthropic workforce and identifies trends and gaps in diversity and inclusion in philanthropy. Over 2,300 individuals, including staff and board members, from 124 foundations participated through an anonymous, self-reported survey. The report covers diversity and representation across multiple areas including race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and immigration status, and highlights differences by geographical regions in the US.
Mismatched: Philanthropy’s Response to the Call for Racial Justice
The Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE) latest report, Mismatched: Philanthropy’s Response to the Call for Racial Justice, is an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of racial equity and racial justice funding. The analysis found that while overall funding and the number of funders supporting racial equity and racial justice work increased over the past decade, it is still a small proportion compared to overall funding priorities.
Now is the Time: Acting Today Will Ensure We Have A Strong Health Workforce Tomorrow
The need to develop and implement a comprehensive integrated plan to address our health workforce grows stronger every day. As some communities experience their highest COVID-19 case rate since the start of the pandemic, with providers and public health workers stretched to the breaking point, we must also devote time and resources to ensure that we have a highly trained, diverse health care and public health workforce to meet our future health needs.
The Unseen Provider: COVID-19 Reveals the Hidden Link between Correctional and Community Care
COVID-19 has had disproportionate impact on justice-involved people because health and justice systems maintain discrete siloes due to longstanding policies. These policies create structural barriers to an integrated response to people living at the intersection of these two systems. Focusing resources in this overlooked area provides an excellent opportunity for a return on investment for grantmakers seeking to make impactful change.
