How do you calculate the requested contribution for non-traditional funders, or for funders with no payout requirements such as operating foundations, 501c4 foundations, etc.?
GIH has enjoyed excellent relationships and benefitted from the participation of non-traditional funders in our network. In situations where it is difficult to calculate a request based on annual health funding, we will work directly with your organization to reach agreement on an appropriate amount.
For community foundations, the calculation is based on foundation-managed funds (as opposed to total funds, which generally include Donor Advised Funds – DAFs). Sometimes this is also true for foundations with restricted assets (most often supporting the hospital or health system they are associated with).
How does GIH define “health” to calculate annual health funding?
GIH generally relies on the World Organization of Health’s (WHO) widely accepted definition. The WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Practically speaking, funding for non-health care activities (e.g., public health or the social determinants of health) would count towards health grantmaking. We respect that each foundation may define health differently, and we generally accept the definitions (and resulting calculations) used by our Funding Partners. If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact GIH.
What are the benefits of being a GIH Funding Partner?
GIH Funding Partner benefits are summarized on our website. In summary, GIH’s most sought-after benefits are: 1) tools and information on the issues we cover, 2) the opportunity to network with other foundations to share information or seek co-investment, and 3) strategic guidance from GIH program staff, issue-area, and philanthropic experts, and peers.
Above and beyond the direct benefits of being a Funding Partner is the important contribution you make to the overall betterment of the field of health philanthropy. Our mission is to help grantmakers do their work more efficiently and effectively and to assure that grantmakers have access to substantive information on key health and operational issues. By supporting GIH and our efforts, you are helping both to raise the professionalism of the field, and to promote the value of health philanthropy to a wider audience of policymakers, the media, and the public at large.
Will there be another adjustment in the future?
Yes, but not for a few years. GIH is thoughtful and sparing about making changes to our Funding Partner Giving Levels chart. Our plan is to periodically review our operating costs and programmatic goals on a more regular basis so that any future changes will be incremental.
How should I calculate the new rate for my organization?
Generally, GIH prefers to use the most recently completed, audited fiscal year or the most recent completed three-year average (if the last completed fiscal year is unusual in some regard) to calculate the correct contribution.
GIH is not requesting an increased contribution from any funder who increased payout in response to COVID, assuming this was an exception. In those circumstances, we can use the 2019 or 2021 990 to set the correct request amount.
Who should I contact with questions or to understand the new request amount for my organization?
Cecilia Amor Kramer
ckramer@gih.org
(202) 534-3028