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
The Supreme Court’s ACA Decision: What It Will Mean for the Advocacy Agenda
This webinar discussed the implications of the Supreme Court’s ACA decision for the advocacy agenda, the types of activities that advocates are considering, and the ways in which foundations might help inform reform.
Behavioral Health, Health Equity, and the ACA Ruling
In this webinar, Daniel Dawes discussed the ruling, its tie to health equity, and its implications for behavioral health care.
Women and the Affordable Care Act: Factoring in the Supreme Court Decision
This webinar to discussed the key health reform issues for women, the implications of the Court’s decision, and the role philanthropy can play in supporting issues related to women’s health and the ACA.
Supreme Court Decision on the Affordable Care Act
Grantmakers In Health and the Council on Foundations were pleased to cohost an audiocast briefing to explain the Supreme Court decision on the ACA, its policy implications, and what it means for foundations.
Why A Strong Public Sector is Important to Philanthropy
This webinar offered an in-depth examination of current public opinion on the role of government, specific examples of effective messaging, and a set of recommendations for how grantmakers can get involved.
Integrated Care at AHRQ: Current Efforts and Opportunities for Foundations
The webinar built upon the March 2012 GIH meeting, Promoting Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care: A Meeting of Public and Private Funders.
The Bravewell Report: How Integrative Medicine Is Being Practiced in Clinical Centers Across the US
This webinar discussed The Bravewell Collaborative, the report, and how philanthropy is investing in this emerging field.
Critical Conversations: A Discussion with Don Berwick and Ellen Goodman About End-of-Life Planning
In this call former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Don Berwick and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman discussed The Conversation Project, a new campaign designed to help ensure that end-of-life wishes are expressed and respected.
Engaging Voters to Promote Health
This webinar considered the non-partisan activities that grassroots organizations conduct to increase voter registration and mobilization in traditionally under-represented groups and explored legitimate ways health funders can help support these efforts within existing legal boundaries.