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Cultivating the Next Generation of Philanthropic Leadership
Fellows from the inaugural Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy share their thoughts on how the field of philanthropy can help cultivate the next generation of leaders.
Giving Voice: The Power of Grassroots Advocacy in Shaping Public Policy
Within advocacy work, there exists a wide spectrum of strategies that can be employed to change or shape public policy. Yet, too often, nonprofit health organizations tend to limit themselves to a narrow range of strategies that typically includes education, policy/data analysis, and limited legislative advocacy. While these strategies are important to public policy work, they may not be enough to influence policymakers in today’s increasingly special interest and ideological-driven political system.
Board Service: From in Perpetuity to Term Limits
Twenty-five years ago in 1985, The Health Foundation
of Greater Indianapolis was created with proceeds
from the sale of MetroHealth, one of the first
statewide, staff-model Health Maintenance Organizations
(HMOs). As an independent, not-for-profit grantmaker, the
foundation has been, and is still, dedicated to preserving and
enhancing the physical, mental, and social health of the
Greater Indianapolis community.
Honoring Community Voices to Enhance Health Grantmaking
In philanthropic circles we spend a lot of time discussing the importance of how foundations can meet the needs of and strengthen communities. We expect our grants and program support will prompt change and improve lives, but how often do we end up doing things “to” a community as opposed to working “with” a community to achieve common goals?
Doing a Lot with a Little: The Gulf Coast Fund
“Doing a Lot with a Little” is an occasional series of the GIH Bulletin showcasing small foundations that have creatively leveraged resources to achieve meaningful change.
Making Money in the Nonprofit Sector: Social Enterprises to Support Missions
During the economic downturn, America’s social sector organizations are rising to the challenge. One way in which organizations are investing in a more sustainable future is through social enterprise. The Social Enterprise Alliance (2009) defines a social enterprise as “an organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods.”
Reports and Publications
Collaboration Across Government and Philanthropy
This Georgetown University Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership report uses data from a recent Grantmakers In Health survey to examine how philanthropy is partnering with government to fill critical gaps.
Grantmakers In Health Funder Collaboration Survey Report
At a time of deep cuts to health and social services, disappearing public health data, rising health care costs, and resurgent infectious diseases, philanthropy faces an urgent challenge: protecting vulnerable communities and sustaining hard-won health gains. Meeting this moment demands meaningful community engagement, strong coordination among funders, and partnerships that extend beyond the philanthropic sector. Yet despite the importance of these relationships, little is known about how health funders work together. To help fill this gap, GIH conducted research in 2025 to examine collaboration among health funders, highlight successes and challenges, and identify opportunities to strengthen collective impact.
Advancing the Public’s Health: Current Philanthropic Approaches and Priorities for the Future
This GIH report is grounded in discussions with a diverse set of philanthropic and public health leaders about the current state of the field. It aims to assess how foundations view public health and their guiding frameworks, as well as to identify lessons learned and priorities for strengthening the public health ecosystem.
Trustee Resources
Explore this page to browse resources, publications, and events related to foundation trustees.