Strengthening Maternal Mental Health in Rural Communities
Join us on March 6th, from 2:00 – 3:15 pm ET/ 11:00 am – 12:15 pm PT to explore how maternal mental health is showing up across rural communities, how states are engaging in this new initiative, and where philanthropic strategies can play a meaningful role to advance maternal mental health in rural communities.
The conversation will draw on perspectives from national rural health infrastructure, community-based organizations, and physician-led public health work across rural regions of the country. Speakers will reflect on persistent gaps and promising approaches, and highlight strategies funders can support to strengthen rural delivery systems and promote more accessible, culturally responsive care for mothers and families. The session will conclude with time for funder discussion and questions.
SNAP Strategy Funder Working Group: Strategic Communications Operations
Our Working Group Call focused on strategic communications opportunities. Elizabeth Wenk, Principal and Managing Director, and Nick Seaver, Senior Vice President and Co-Director of Training Programs at Burness, shared new insights from message testing about SNAP that highlights messaging that moves audiences, insights on which arguments resonate and counter opponents, and how different groups respond to these messages. The State Innovation Exchange (SiX) Food, Agriculture, and Rural Economies team shared what they are hearing from state legislators advocating for SNAP, and how funders can support state policymakers’ efforts to protect the program.
Responding to H.R. 1: Funder Opportunity to Help States Mitigate SNAP Coverage Losses
H.R. 1’s unprecedented requirement that states pay for a share of SNAP benefits based on their payment error rates will impose a massive financial burden on state budgets, forcing them to choose between cutting other programs and services, reducing SNAP eligibility, or even stopping participation in SNAP entirely.
To mitigate this threat, the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program and Social Finance have partnered to develop a proposal to help states effectively implement H.R. 1 and reduce some of the coverage losses and fiscal impacts. The concept, based on a successful model that supported states during Medicaid Unwinding, is to deploy small teams of digital services and process design experts directly to states or counties (depending on the type of SNAP administration).
Health Policy in 2026: What Comes Next?
Following a tumultuous year in health policy, GIH will continue to keep funders up to speed on legislative and administrative changes that will affect health access and impact health disparities. In this timely webinar, experts from Leavitt Partners provided an overview of what to expect from Congress and the administration in 2026 leading up to the midterm elections, focusing on key legislative priorities and executive actions to help funders navigate and engage on these changes. Speakers included Laura Pence and Sara Singleton from Leavitt Partners.
In 2025, Grantmakers In Health launched a new collaboration with Leavitt Partners for health policy monitoring services related to GIH strategic priorities, which includes regular webinars on timely policy topics.
Roundtable Discussion: Health Funders Communication and Policy Staff
Grantmakers in Health hosted a special joint call that combined the GIH Policy Staff Learning Community and the GIH Communications Staff Learning Community. We discussed the importance of communicating about policy changes in meaningful ways that engage communities and partners. In this informal conversation, we swapped strategies, illuminated solutions, and made connections. We kicked-off commentary provided by Gaby Molina of the Connecticut Health Foundation, Katie Peshek of The Colorado Health Foundation, Pang Randolph of the REACH Healthcare Foundation, and Glenn Schneider of The Horizon Foundation.
CEO Working Group Webinar: December Convening
Grantmakers In Health was pleased to convene the CEO Working Group to discuss challenges in our work and opportunities for collaboration as we move forward to achieve our health missions under the new administration. These calls are open to GIH Funding Partner CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors, or the highest-ranking health staff at multi-issue foundations.
SNAP Strategy Funder Working Group: Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders and Grantmakers In Health are forming a funder Working Group for a coordinated, strategic response to the SNAP cuts in H.R. 1. The Working Group comes as an actionable response to insights shared by field leaders in a SNAP-focused webinar earlier in October.
Recognizing the far-reaching implications of SNAP for food security, health, and economic equity, this Working Group will serve as an information hub and a strategic coordination space, designed to help funders act quickly, effectively, and in alignment with one another. We will organize three Working Group meetings to start and then assess next steps.
The second Working Group call will explore how funders can support training and technical assistance for state agencies navigating significant and sudden changes in how SNAP operates, including assessing the factors influencing error rates and technology solutions to reduce them. Tim Shaw, Director of the Benefits Transformation Initiative at the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, will also provide a status update on state action and responses to H.R. 1 requirements.
SNAP Strategy Funder Working Group: Advocacy Opportunities
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders and Grantmakers In Health are forming a funder Working Group for a coordinated, strategic response to the SNAP cuts in H.R. 1. The Working Group comes as an actionable response to insights shared by field leaders in a SNAP-focused webinar earlier in October.
Recognizing the far-reaching implications of SNAP for food security, health, and economic equity, this Working Group will serve as an information hub and a strategic coordination space, designed to help funders act quickly, effectively, and in alignment with one another. We will organize three Working Group meetings to start and then assess next steps.
The first call focused on opportunities for funders to support and engage in policy advocacy to protect SNAP on a federal and state level. In addition to connecting with peers, funders heard from Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, who provided a policy landscape update from D.C., and Joey Hentzler, Program Manager at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, who shared about MAZON’s policy engagement and rapid response funding.
Safeguarding Medicaid and SNAP in the Wake of H.R. 1
As H.R. 1 begins to reshape the landscape of safety programs, charitable foundations face a pivotal moment. The legislation delivers sweeping tax cuts to corporations and high-income earners—while dramatically reducing funding for essential programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These cuts threaten the well-being of millions of families, children, and seniors, and shift the financial burden to already overstretched state and local governments.
Now more than ever, philanthropic organizations must act swiftly and strategically to mitigate harm. A key opportunity lies in supporting states as they navigate urgent administrative and implementation challenges—ensuring vulnerable populations don’t fall through the cracks.
Protecting Our Health: Funder Collaborations for Scientific Research
For decades, robust health research has driven innovation, informed public health policy, and improved the health of our communities. Decreases in funding and reductions in the health research workforce now put the health and well-being of communities at risk. This webinar showcased two key collaborations which are identifying funding opportunities aimed at preserving vital health research. Speakers discussed the origin of these collaborations and how funders can engage.
CEO Working Group Webinar: New CEOs
It is a difficult time for many, but especially for those who are new to their role. Grantmakers In Health is pleased to convene the CEO Working Group in October, to offer foundation leaders who have been in their position for less than five years the opportunity to discuss the challenges they are facing as new CEOs with one another and seasoned leaders in the field. These calls are open to GIH Funding Partner CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors, or the highest-ranking health staff at multi-issue foundations. During these candid, confidential conversations, philanthropic leaders share information, swap strategies, raise concerns, and ask for one another’s advice.
Upcoming Events on Health Equity and Social Justice
2026 GIH Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy
Every year, GIH brings together the bright minds, seasoned experts, and innovative practitioners working in health philanthropy to discuss the important issues facing the field.
Roundtable Discussion for Health Funders’ Policy Staff
A growing number of health funders employ staff whose responsibilities focus exclusively or predominantly on public policy engagement. Do you lead your organization’s policy or government affairs work? During our roundtable discussion we connected with peers, explored pressing issues, and shared experiences to engage communities in setting funders’ policy priorities. Between calls, members interact with one another in GIH’s online learning community for policy staff.
Roundtable Discussion for Health Funders’ Policy Staff
A growing number of health funders employ staff whose responsibilities focus exclusively or predominantly on public policy engagement. Do you lead your organization’s policy or government affairs work? During our roundtable discussion we connected with peers, explored pressing issues, and shared experiences to engage communities in setting funders’ policy priorities. Between calls, members interact with one another in GIH’s online learning community for policy staff.