Our Accomplishments—and the Challenges Ahead
In November 2012, I was named president and CEO of GIH. Shortly afterward, I described the opening phases of what I called GIH 3.0, a term I chose because I was GIH’s third president. GIH 3.0 built on the past accomplishments of the organization, while positioning it to continue being a relevant and high-quality resource for the field.
Expanding Access—Mobile Health and Telehealth
In September, I delivered a keynote speech at the Annual Mobile Health Clinic Conference of the Mobile Healthcare Association, and the occasion was an opportunity for me to learn more about the contributions of mobile clinics to population health and the delivery of safety-net services.
Reflecting on the Annual Conference
With this year’s annual conference being my last as GIH’s President and CEO, I would like to share a few personal reflections on the evolution of this gathering—which is still health philanthropy’s largest!—and its value to us and to the field.
Take-aways from Public-Private Collaborations in Rural Health
For the past seven years, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) has been part of the Rural Health Philanthropy Partnership, which convenes public and private foundations, researchers, and policy makers to discuss federal programs and foundation-led initiatives in rural areas.
Helping Philanthropy Be Its Best
We asked our colleagues to reflect on the 2019 GIH annual conference theme of Ideas. Innovations. Impact. The resulting articles pursue a variety of themes, but collectively they make abundantly clear that the central role played by PSOs—making connections among funders in order to stimulate lasting change and improve quality-of-life—continues to be vitally important.
Trends in Health Philanthropy: Oral Health Care Access and Equity
We should not have to make the case for oral health programming, but the reality is that the health effects of oral health disparities are not widely recognized—despite the fact that these disparities continue to be persistent and pervasive.
Trends in Health Philanthropy: The Challenge of Family Caregiving
Every day, millions of Americans provide unpaid care to a family member. A few years ago, it was estimated that 43.5 million adults had provided care for someone in the previous 12 months, with most caring for other adults, fewer for children, and a small percentage for both age groups.
Trends in Health Philanthropy: Leveraging Policy Change
Over the years, GIH has developed considerable programming to help funders learn from one another about effective policy change strategies, to increase awareness of what is legally possible, and to decrease anxiety about emerging strategies.
What’s Coming Up in 2019 for GIH and Health Philanthropy?
In 2019, there are several trends we will be following. These trends show that, in general, funders are grappling with the changing environments of service delivery, health in communities, and organizational effectiveness.
Making Space for New Leadership
Every year brings important opportunities for Grantmakers In Health, and this year will be no exception. I recently informed the GIH board and staff that I have decided to leave the organization at the end of 2019.