Upcoming Webinars
Values, Voice, and H.R. 1: When Should Foundations Speak Out?
The stakes for health remain high in 2026 as implementation of H.R. 1 ushers in harmful changes to health and social safety net programs. Foundations are increasingly speaking publicly about the damaging effects of these and other federal actions on the health of communities. This webinar will explore when and how to issue a public statement. Chrystal Okonta, Director of FGS Global’s Health team, will discuss key factors when crafting a public statement such as urgency, mission alignment, and organizational capacity. Kerry Jones Waring, Vice President for Communications at the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, will share the foundation’s decision process, advice for crafting messages, and managing feedback.
Roundtable Discussion: Health Funders Communication and Policy Staff
Grantmakers in Health is pleased to host a second joint call for the GIH Policy Staff Learning Community and the GIH Communications Staff Learning Community. We will discuss the importance of communicating about policy changes in meaningful ways that engage communities and partners. In this informal conversation, we will swap strategies, illuminate solutions, and make connections. We will also use the time to dig in on a topic that was raised during the January 27 call: supporting policy, messaging, or other work related to the upcoming elections (such as governors’ races, mid-terms, ballot initiatives, etc.).
SNAP Funder Working Group: Food Restriction Waivers
This Working Group Call will examine the rise of state waivers restricting the type of food that can be purchased with SNAP benefits, how retailers are navigating these changes, and what we might learn from the evaluations. To date, USDA has approved food restriction waivers in 22 states and incentivized waiver applications by tying them to increased funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program. USDA claims that these waivers are meant to “restore nutritional value in SNAP.” However, five SNAP recipients in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia sued the department in March, challenging these restrictions as harmful, unlawful, and burdensome.
Speakers from the National Governors Association, the National Grocers Association, and the University of Illinois Chicago will discuss the state-level decision-making process to apply for a waiver, the impact of these waivers on retailer participation in SNAP, and the public and private evaluation methods being used to assess whether the restrictions have any meaningful impact on nutrition for participants. The Center for Science in the Public Interest will also share strategic thinking about how they are exploring opportunities to engage in this continuously evolving political climate.
GIH Webinar Recordings and Resources
Mental Health Literacy: Changing the Community Conversation
This webinar discussed the Campaign to Change Direction, a national initiative to raise awareness about mental health and create a common language for recognizing the signs of emotional suffering.
Vital Signs: Exploring the New IOM Report
In the new report, Vital Signs: Core Metrics for Health and Health Care Progress, the Institute of Medicine identifies a set of standardized measures, along with steps for implementing and refining them. This webinar discussed the report’s recommendations and discuss potential roles for philanthropy.
King v. Burwell: What You Need to Know (Part 2)
On June 25th, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits will continue to be available to eligible individuals, regardless of where they live. This webinar discussed the implications of the Supreme Court decision, what lies ahead for the Affordable Care Act, and potential roles for philanthropy moving forward.
Medicaid Expansion: Economic Impact and Sustainability
This webinar reviewed findings from recent impact analyses, considered the implications for sustainability of the expansions, and discussed prospects for expansion in additional states.
King v. Burwell: What You Need to Know
The U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule on King v. Burwell, deciding whether the health reform law’s language allows the government to provide insurance subsidies everywhere in the country, or only in states that have set up their own insurance marketplaces. This webinar discussed the basics of the case and its potential impact on health reform.
Young Lives in Limbo: Update on the Status of Central American Child Refugees in the United States
In this webinar, participants heard from experts about the how changes in policy and social-political conditions might affect future migration, and implications for current and future flows of child refugees.
Health Care Innovation Awards: Driving Transformation
This webinar presented the early lessons learned from these awards, emerging evidence for the durability of the approaches, plans for future sustainability, and possible roles for private funders.