Ballot Measures: Advancing Health Policy through Direct Democracy
The citizen-initiative process, also known as direct democracy, gives the people the power to directly propose and pass new laws or constitutional amendments (depending on the state) by putting them up for a vote at the statewide or local level. 25 U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures, which have been used to advance a broad range of health policy goals, including reproductive rights, Medicaid expansion, gun safety reform, minimum wage increases, and paid leave. This webinar will explore recent ballot initiative campaigns and highlight the roles of health funders in building community power through direct democracy. Speakers include Chris Melody Fields Figueredo of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Becky Gould of Nebraska Appleseed, and Ashley Dietz of the Florida Philanthropic Network.
Raising the Bar on Voting Accessibility in Missouri
Missouri Foundation for Health has developed a policy brief with recommendations supporting the efforts of the disability community across the state to make voting processes more accessible for all Missourians.
GIH Health Policy Exchange 2024
We discussed the election results’ impact on philanthropy’s work advancing better health for all, delved into critical policy issues that affect the country, and received updates from the Hill. Other topics explored by participants included opportunities for cross-sector collaboration in public health, updates on health policy at the state level, philanthropy and the Supreme Court, the changing landscape of women’s health, and philanthropy’s role in supporting systems change.
Fair Maps For Better Health Outcomes
Non-Partisan Redistricting Advances Community Health Priorities. Without Fair Representation, Community Priorities Can’t Compete. It’s no coincidence that some of our most gerrymandered states have some of the worst health outcomes. Philanthropy can’t solve health inequities alone. But supporting community-led work to secure fair districts can help change the system – and strengthen our democracy – by allowing communities to choose responsive lawmakers who will fight for better health policy.
To Build a Healthier Nation, We Must Have a Fair Count
Every decade, the Census Bureau fulfills a constitutionally-mandated count of every person living in the
United States. Data derived from the Decennial Census and the ongoing American Community Survey form the statistical backbone for public health, hospitals, insurance, and dozens of federal and other government programs. This data is also an important tool for funder decision-making. For funders focused on health equity, quality data is needed to provide a better understanding of health disparities and the advancement of health equity goals.
GIH Signs Organizational Commitment to Thrive Through Civic Health Initiative
GIH has signed an organizational commitment to the Thrive through Civic Health: We Will Vote initiative. The focus of the Initiative is to implement a health sector strategy to build awareness, commitment, and momentum and increase voter participation of health sector workers.
Philanthropic Joint Statement in Response to the Supreme Court’s Decision in ‘Students for Fair Admissions’ Cases
Grantmakers In Health joined with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ford Foundation, Health Forward Foundation, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Grantmakers In the Arts, and 35 other philanthropy organizations in responding to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. University of North Carolina removing race as a consideration for college admissions.
Gregory Jackson of Community Justice Action Fund to Be Honored with the Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy
Gregory Jackson, Executive Director of the Community Justice Action Fund, will receive the 2023 Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy.
Philanthropic Investment in People Power
The California Endowment is spearheading renewed interest in an approach that supports communities to be the architects of their own equity efforts. This article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (Winter 2023) examines the evidence generated by a decade-long effort that grew up around The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities initiative and provides lessons to other philanthropies incorporating a power-building strategy.