Upcoming Webinars
The Future of Rural Health and Well-Being: Findings from a Landscape Analysis and Listening Sessions
Grantmakers In Health and the National Rural Health Association, with support from the Georgia Health Policy Center, are leading an initiative to reimagine rural health and well-being by aligning systems and resources to achieve optimal health for all individuals living in rural America. As part of this effort, the Georgia Health Policy Center conducted a landscape analysis highlighting a sampling of a cross-section of organizations and leaders in rural health and hosted two national listening sessions of key stakeholders.
Please join us for a discussion of our key findings, the impact of the rapidly changing federal policy landscape, and recommendations for where we go from here in building a shared vision and roadmap for sustainable, community-driven change in rural communities across the country.
Steady Voices in Unsteady Times: Strategies for Communicating in Crisis
Communicating effectively in times of crisis is essential for maintaining public trust and organizational reputation. It can also minimize the spread of false or misleading information. This virtual workshop is designed to support health funders’ efforts to effectively communicate while managing potential risks of ideologically- and politically-driven threats. Beth Tritter and Chrystal Okonta from FGS Global will lead the program. Participants will learn how to prepare for a communications crisis and test drive practical tools for managing and responding. Working in groups, participants will also work to address a plausible and timely challenge using best practices and core principles of effective crisis response.
Behavioral Health in the Balance: Navigating the Impact of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act
Medicaid is the single largest payer for behavioral health services and is increasingly responsible for substance use disorder reimbursements. In July 2025, H.R.1 was signed into law containing an estimated $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years, resulting in almost 15 million people losing health coverage, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. The pressure on states to cut spending is immense, and behavioral health services will not be immune. Join GIH for a discussion on the behavioral health implications of H.R.1 and opportunities for funders to get involved now. Bill Smith and Angela Kimball from Inseparable will summarize H.R.1 from a behavioral health perspective. Neel Harja and Sarah Wasil from Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Itai Dinour and Hazel Guzman from Carmel Hill Fund will provide examples of how funders are responding to this challenging situation. Funders will leave the webinar with actionable ideas to protect access to behavioral health services in their states.
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.
Funder Collaborations to Protect Science
Scientific research is the foundation of public health, driving innovation, policy, and life-saving interventions. But deep federal cuts and workforce reductions threaten to unravel decades of progress. In response, funders are organizing and taking action to protect the scientific enterprise. This webinar spotlights two funder collaborations: FACTS—a table for learning and discussion and the Portfolio to Protect Science—a coordinated effort to secure key parts of scientific research. Speakers will share how these collaborations emerged and opportunities for funders to engage.
Speakers include Caroline Montojo, President and CEO, Dana Foundation, Sam Gill, President and CEO, Doris Duke Foundation and Julie Morita, President and CEO, The Joyce Foundation. The conversation will be moderated by Cara James, President and CEO of Grantmakers In Health.
GIH Webinar Recordings and Resources
Scaling Evidence-Based Programs to Address Chronic Illness
This webinar taught what the New York State Health Foundation and the National Council on Aging have learned about increasing the capacity and reach of promising programs for older adults, how these lessons are applicable to other people with or at risk for chronic illnesses, and the way this work can contribute to better outcomes for all.
Supporting Improvements to the Health Insurance Market
Funders discussed potential improvements to the Affordable Care Act and how funders can provide leadership in these tumultuous times.
Seizing the Moment: Using Pop Culture to Amplify Your Message
On this webinar, funders learned how Unbound Philanthropy leveraged the power of entertainment, advertising, and media to shift how people understand the present reality—and imagine the future—of American society.
Community Water Fluoridation: Lessons for Improving Philanthropic Policy Advocacy
This webinar discussed where community water fluoridation stands today, the lessons learned for philanthropy, how policy campaigns can successfully engage on public health issues in a bipartisan manner, and recommendations for next steps to continue moving community water fluoridation efforts forward.
The Health Care Priorities of the New Administration
On this webinar, three of the nation’s foremost health care policy experts shared their thoughts on the federal government’s current health care priorities, as well as their recommendations for how philanthropy might contribute to the process.
Hospitals and Health Systems as Drivers of a Health-Promoting Economy
This webinar was about The Democracy Collaborative’s Hospitals Aligned for Healthy Communities toolkit series and we heard from three health systems that are focused on inclusive local hiring, procurement, and place-based investment.