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
Aligning Our National Narratives During an Election Year and Beyond
The Communications Collaborative held a webinar to share the alignment of larger narratives around government and the economy and to provide state policy and advocacy networks access to the information and tools available to support their work.
A Strategic “Field Building” Approach to Advocacy Investments
This webinar examined the key dimensions of a strong advocacy field, reviewed how funders can diagnose gaps or weaknesses in an integrated field, and explored grantmaking strategies that help grantees contribute to and benefit from the field’s collective capacity.
State Innovation Models Initiative
This webinar looked at the State Innovation Models initiative and offered time for funders to reflect upon upcoming opportunities for coordination and collaboration.
Addressing the Dental and Medical Workforce Needs of Rural Communities
On this webinar, we explored how the health and dental workforces in rural communities can be improved through innovations in programs and policy, including the role of funders and the promising areas they can consider for investment.
What Health Funders Need to Know About HIV/AIDS: Part I
This webinar was the first in a two-part series to explore the challenges and opportunities for addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on vulnerable communities.
How Health Reform’s Medicaid Expansion Will Affect State Budgets
In this webinar, Bob Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities discussed the decision facing states, and what recent estimates suggest about the fiscal implications of the Medicaid expansion.