Giving Voice: The Power of Grassroots Advocacy in Shaping Public Policy
Within advocacy work, there exists a wide spectrum of strategies that can be employed to change or shape public policy. Yet, too often, nonprofit health organizations tend to limit themselves to a narrow range of strategies that typically includes education, policy/data analysis, and limited legislative advocacy. While these strategies are important to public policy work, they may not be enough to influence policymakers in today’s increasingly special interest and ideological-driven political system.
Advocacy for Impact – Guiding Grantees to Success
This interactive session explored approaches to determining which advocacy efforts compliment a foundation’s theory of change, guiding nonprofits in the development of plans for successful advocacy, and assessing the soundness of an advocacy strategy presented in a proposal.
2010 Terrance Keenan Award Acceptance Speech
Read about The Commonwealth Fund’s Dr. Mary Jane Koren’s 30 years of work to improve the quality of institutional long-term care, and be inspired by her willingness to take chances on innovation, revisit old ideas, and find treasure among the wreckage.
2009 Terrance Keenan Award Acceptance Speech
Read about Mr. Yates’ groundbreaking work at The California Wellness Foundation and be inspired by his leadership as he guided his organization through unchartered territories and spearheaded a new approach to grantmaking.
A Tribute to Terrance Keenan at the 2009 Annual Meeting Seeing the Future with 20/20 Vision
Terrance Keenan, a founder of Grantmakers In Health (GIH), passed away on February 25 at the age of 85. Known for his leadership, innovation, and compassion, Mr. Keenan was a generous, consummate grantmaker whose career spanned more than 50 years in philanthropy, 46 of which were spent with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
A National Foundation Undertakes a Regional Strategy in the South
The Health Reform Program of the Public Welfare Foundation supports advocacy so that the voices of the people served by the health care system can be informed and effective. Poverty, health disparities, and underfunded advocacy capacity describe the South.
Collaborating Where Health Happens
At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), our mission is to improve health and health care for all Americans. But improving health for the most vulnerable requires acknowledging that factors such as poverty, violence, inadequate housing, and education contribute to poor health.
From the Ground Up
The resource portfolio is from GIH’s 2006 annual meeting, From the Ground Up: Improving Community Health, Inspiring Community Action.
Health and Fiscal Policy
Given the amount of public expenditures devoted to health and concerns about the impact of changes in public policy on the nation’s most vulnerable residents, health grantmakers need to understand existing state and federal policies affecting revenues and expenditures and the implications of any changes on the table. They can also play an important role in the development and implementation of these policies. This portfolio, prepared for GIH’s 2004 Fall Forum, provides information and resources to help grantmakers understand the connections between health and fiscal policy.
Giving Voice to the Voiceless: The Case for Advocacy Funding
Funding public policy work is as important to health improvement as funding for direct services. Lessons learned from funding advocates include the importance of providing core operating support, the need to engage the grassroots, and how to empower community members.