Events
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SNAP Funder Working Group: Food Restriction Waivers
VirtualThis Working Group Call will examine the rise of state waivers restricting the type of food that can be purchased with SNAP benefits, how retailers are navigating these changes, and what we might learn from the evaluations. To date, USDA has approved food restriction waivers in 22 states and incentivized waiver applications by tying them to increased funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program. USDA claims that these waivers are meant to “restore nutritional value in SNAP.” However, five SNAP recipients in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia sued the department in March, challenging these restrictions as harmful, unlawful, and burdensome.
Speakers from the National Governors Association, the National Grocers Association, and the University of Illinois Chicago will discuss the state-level decision-making process to apply for a waiver, the impact of these waivers on retailer participation in SNAP, and the public and private evaluation methods being used to assess whether the restrictions have any meaningful impact on nutrition for participants. The Center for Science in the Public Interest will also share strategic thinking about how they are exploring opportunities to engage in this continuously evolving political climate.
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Roundtable on Advancing Health Equity and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Health Philanthropy
VirtualGrantmakers In Health (GIH) hosted a continued conversation on advancing health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion in health philanthropy. This was a dedicated time for collaboration, learning, and action for program staff leading health equity efforts at their foundations (open to funding partners only). This discussion focused on economic inclusion as a key pillar of health equity, and Taylor Jo Isenberg from the Economic Security Project provided an overview of the affordability crisis.
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Roundtable Discussion: Health Funders Communication and Policy Staff
VirtualGrantmakers in Health is pleased to host a second joint call for the GIH Policy Staff Learning Community and the GIH Communications Staff Learning Community. We will discuss the importance of communicating about policy changes in meaningful ways that engage communities and partners. In this informal conversation, we will swap strategies, illuminate solutions, and make connections. We will also use the time to dig in on a topic that was raised during the January 27 call: supporting policy, messaging, or other work related to the upcoming elections (such as governors' races, mid-terms, ballot initiatives, etc.).
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Climate, Health, and Food: Empowering Communities to Work at the Intersections
VirtualJoin us for a conversation with Environmental Health Watch and Sprout, two communities that are successfully putting this mode of action into practice. They will share strategies on how they are responding to climate change, health, and food security at the same time, showing what is possible when philanthropy stops treating these issues as separate and allows communities to truly work at the intersections.
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Values, Voice, and H.R. 1: When Should Foundations Speak Out?
VirtualThe stakes for health remain high in 2026 as implementation of H.R. 1 ushers in harmful changes to health and social safety net programs. Foundations are increasingly speaking publicly about the damaging effects of these and other federal actions on the health of communities. This webinar will explore when and how to issue a public statement. Chrystal Okonta, Director of FGS Global’s Health team, will discuss key factors when crafting a public statement such as urgency, mission alignment, and organizational capacity. Kerry Jones Waring, Vice President for Communications at the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, will share the foundation’s decision process, advice for crafting messages, and managing feedback.
GIH Resources for Funding Partners
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