Advocacy Strategies

Grantmakers In Health’s strategic plan elevates leadership and influence as one of four strategic pillars for our work. GIH seeks to take a more active role in defining the key issues that will advance better health for all. We are also supporting health philanthropy with the thought leadership and programming to create lasting impact by influencing advocacy, policy, and funding in targeted areas.

This policy agenda identifies our public policy priorities for the coming year. Informed by health funders, these priorities will guide our programming, influence decisions related to issuing public statements on timely policy issues, and focus our emerging advocacy efforts. We hope these priorities will also inspire the field of health philanthropy and encourage greater collaboration and commitment to common policy goals among funders. We look forward to working with funders and others to advance this agenda.

Policy and Advocacy Resources

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Deadlines in Health-Related Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda

This GIH policy resource details many of the health-related executive orders issued by the administration and includes a calendar of upcoming deadlines for when those orders are expected to be implemented.

The Final Reconciliation Package: Implementation of Key Provisions

On July 4, 2025, H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was signed into law. The implementation dates for key health care provisions in the law vary, with some taking effect immediately upon passage and others being implemented over several years. This resource details key dates for the implementation of the law’s most significant health care provisions.

Overview of the Executive Branch

A detailed overview of the U.S. executive branch, including the White House, Cabinet, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including organizational charts of key members of the White House policy team and HHS leadership.

2025 Congressional Calendar

When each house of congress will be in session in 2025

2025 Federal Health Policy Timeline

This timeline previews expected and potential federal regulatory and legislative health policy events in 2025. Funding Partners interested in state legislative sessions should visit NCSL’s State Legislative Session Calendar.

U.S. Capitol Building Washington D.C.

Overview of the 119th Congress

A detailed overview of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, including leadership in both houses and key committee and subcommittee members.

Congressional Staff and Member Outreach

A detailed overview of how congressional offices, committees, and leadership are staffed. In addition, it provides recommended best practices for meeting with Members of Congress and their staff.

GIH Health Policy Update Newsletter

An Exclusive Resource for GIH Funding Partners

Health Policy Update: August 21, 2025

August 21, 2025
Posted in ,

In an effort to help our Funding Partners better understand the changing health policy landscape in the new administration and Congress, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is expanding the GIH Health Policy Update newsletter to three issues per month. Working in collaboration with Leavitt Partners, a leading health care policy consultancy, we are adding new installments of the newsletter on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, while we will continue to partner with Trust for America’s Health on the installment released on the second Wednesday of the month.

GIH Advocacy for the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA)

The OAA provides critical services that address the social drivers of health for older adults. Grantmakers In Health (GIH) and Grantmakers In Aging (GIA) are partnering to engage funders in advancing the reauthorization of this important piece of legislation.

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Grantmakers Are from Mars; Policymakers Are from Venus: Is There Hope for This Relationship?

How can health grantmakers and state policymakers collaborate and when does it make sense to try? What does it take to develop and sustain these relationships? This piece is based on Smith’s plenary remarks given at Grantmakers In Health’s 2000 Washington Briefing, The Intersection of Health Policy and Philanthropy.

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The Interface Between Public Policy and the Private Sector

Read the keynote speech from GIH’s Washington Briefing by Mark Smith, president and CEO of California HealthCare Foundation.

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