The Role of Health Philanthropy in Improving Maternal Health for Underserved Populations
Although the United States is a high-income nation, it experiences a significant burden of maternal mortality incidence relative to other countries. In 2023, non-expansion Medicaid states had 27.7 percent higher pregnancy-related deaths than expansion states. The COVID-19 pandemic also exacerbated racial disparities in pregnancy-related deaths. Historically, marginalized populations, including low-income populations and Black and Indigenous communities are more vulnerable to preventable pregnancy-related deaths.
Designing Inclusive and Equity-Centered Health System Improvement Projects—Lessons from Three Initiatives
Disparities in access to health care persist for individuals with low incomes and Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Native American/Native Alaskan individuals and are particularly acute in behavioral health. Behavioral health care utilization rates among Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults are less than half those of White adults. These disparities exist because of barriers in access such as limited provider networks, poor language access, a lack of culturally-aligned services, and technological barriers to telehealth. Working with health providers to create inclusive and accessible services is essential to building more equitable access to behavioral health care, and to healthier and happier families and communities.
To Improve Youth Mental Health, Funders Must Center Youth Voices
As youth mental health challenges continue to grow nationwide, a new initiative in Greater Cincinnati believes transformational change begins when youth are empowered to lead.
Measuring and Communicating Impact: How Philanthropy Can Show and Tell Its Impact to Rally the Public in Defense of Research
If research evidence falls in the vast forest of journals and grant reports, but no one outside hears it, can it inform policy? In today’s political climate, grantmakers must do more than generate knowledge. They must ensure that its real-world impact is visible, measurable, and defensible.
Potential Impact of a Government Shutdown on Health Care Priorities
This resource provides an overview of the September 2025 government shutdown and insights into its impact on the Department of Health and Human Services.
Grantmakers In Health Seeks Nominations for 2026 Leadership and Advocacy Awards
Grantmakers In Health is pleased to announce a call for nominations for both its Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy and Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health Philanthropy.
Administration Actions Targeting Domestic Terrorism and Their Implications for Nonprofits
This resource provides an overview of the legal implications of the September 22, 2025 executive order designating certain groups as engaging in domestic terrorism.
Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report
This resource provides an overview of the Department of Health and Human Services report on children’s health released on September 9, 2025.
Department of Health and Human Services Reorganization and Reductions: Explaining the State of Play
This issue brief provides an overview of the current status of the reorganization and Reductions in Force (RIF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help funders understand the impact on their work and engage in the current policy landscape.
Deaconess Foundation
“At Deaconess Foundation, our strategy is guided by the residents in the communities in which we live, work, and serve. Through an expansive community listening process, we redefined our strategic aspiration to reflect both our community’s immediate needs and long-term hopes for our region. When we listened, we heard that our pursuit of health justice and social justice needed to extend beyond our ideas of what policy priorities should be for three to five years and that people want to be free from oppressive systems that inflict harm. Therefore, with great intention, we sharpened our vision and set our gaze on an intergenerational strategy in which Deaconess acts boldly with its power, influence, and resources to pursue liberation within seven generations.”