Explore Health Equity and Social Justice Topics

Latest Resources

Cara V. James in The Well News: As the COVID-19 Emergency Ends, We Must Not End Our Commitment to Advance Health Equity

Grantmakers In Health (GIH) President and CEO Cara V. James was quoted in a December 18, 2022 Politico Magazine article about the Black community’s distrust of the health care system.

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Birth Equity Funders’ Summit: 2022 Report

The 2022 Birth Equity Funders’ Summit brought together over 100 funders in person and 35 virtually to reflect on the role of philanthropy in reducing racial disparities in birth outcomes and identify opportunities to better collaborate and align in service of this goal. This report serves as an overview of the event, as well as offers key takeaways and practical recommendations for funders.

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Exploring the Impact of Vaccine Equity Grants in Rural Communities of Color

The Rx Foundation launched a rapid response Vaccine Equity grant program in March 2021 as it became clear that communities had unequal access to newly available COVID-19 vaccines. The goal was to fund organizations that were positioned to improve access to vaccines for groups marginalized by or unable to access existing systems and to do outreach and have conversations with people about their vaccine concerns and questions.

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How Climate Change Affects Our Mental Health, and What We Can Do About It

The Commonwealth Fund recently published an article on how climate change doesn’t just affect our physical health but can also harm our mental health, further taxing a behavioral health care system already in crisis.

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PrEP in Black America: A New Approach to Biomedical HIV Prevention Advocacy

In the U.S., Black communities have been disproportionately impacted by HIV. Between 1981 and 2019, an estimated 2.2 million people have been diagnosed with HIV, an overwhelming number of whom have been Black.

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The Reimagining Nursing Initiative: Creating an Equitable Future by Investing in Nurse-Driven Solutions

When you think about improving health care, who do you envision leading the charge for a more equitable future? There are no wrong answers, but perhaps one that does not immediately come to mind—nurses. Representing the largest number of providers and serving as the most-trusted health care professionals (Brenan 2023), nurses’ front-line role in patient care makes them a natural force for expanding access to care and reducing health care disparities.

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Reports and Publications

Behavioral Health Strategies

GIH conducted a survey in late 2024 on funder engagement in behavioral health. This fact sheet, based on a sample of 139 health funders, summarizes the current trends, gaps, successes and challenges for funders. It also highlights philanthropy’s continued commitment to behavioral health while also signaling concern about the upcoming funding environment.  

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2024 Health Equity Survey: Understanding the Changing Landscape

In 2024, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) surveyed its Funding Partners to understand how their health equity work has evolved. The survey consisted of 40 questions including demographic information, program focus areas, partner engagement, organizational strategy, priority population, successes, and challenges. This report summarizes findings from the Health Equity Survey titled, “Understanding the Changing Landscape.”

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2023 Survey Summary: Climate Change Strategies

This infographic summarizes the responses to a Grantmakers In Health funder survey, conducted in May and June 2023, on how philanthropy is addressing climate change, and the barriers and opportunities that exist to support climate-related efforts.

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