A Philanthropic Tree of Life: Seeding Health Equity through Influence and Innovation
Philanthropy can function as a living ecosystem for change rooted in equity, nourished by trust, and bearing the fruits of community well-being. The Direct Relief Fund for Health Equity (DRFHE), launched with $50 million in initial investments, exemplifies a transformative philanthropic model supporting nearly 200 community-based organizations across the United States. Acknowledging DRFHE as a “Tree of Life” offers a framework grounded in community-led, trust-based, and unrestricted giving that challenges traditional philanthropic paradigms. Therefore, this article describes the fund’s origins, strategic priorities, and outcomes, and introduces the DRFHE Tree of Life framework as a replicable model for equity-driven philanthropy.
Roundtable on Advancing Health Equity and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Health Philanthropy
Grantmakers In Health (GIH) hosted a continued conversation on advancing health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion in health philanthropy. This was a dedicated time for collaboration, learning, and action for program staff leading health equity efforts at their foundations (open to funding partners only). This discussion focused on economic inclusion as a key pillar of health equity, and Taylor Jo Isenberg from the Economic Security Project provided an overview of the affordability crisis.
Funder Briefing: Healthcare Access for Immigrant AANHPI Women+
As immigration enforcement intensifies and economic pressures mount under the newly passed tax bill, immigrant Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women face growing challenges to accessing affordable and culturally responsive healthcare and safety net programs. The increase in workplace raids and fear of detention and deportation has profoundly impacted AANHPI immigrants that many refrain from leaving their homes to seek medical care, go to work, or even attend school, deepening inequities in immigrant communities. This webinar will bring together policy experts, community leaders, and funders to discuss the critical role of Medicaid in immigrant communities with an emphasis on the intersecting effect of immigration status, gender, economic strain, and healthcare access.
Join us to explore actionable strategies for philanthropy to strengthen safety nets, advance immigrant health equity, and ensure that immigrant AANHPI women are not left behind during the changing political climate.
2019 Fall Forum
GIH offers programming designed for funders with a strong interest in health policy.
Mental Health Meets Firearm Safety: Innovative Strategies to Reduce Firearm Suicide
Firearms are involved in 55 percent of suicides in the United States, accounting for more than 27,000 deaths every year as documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Yet this crisis remains largely invisible in public discourse. This webinar makes the case that the tools to act are already within reach.
This webinar brings together practitioners, funders, and public health leaders working at the intersection of mental health and firearm safety. Hear how mental health systems can integrate firearm access screening across the continuum of care, and why culturally responsive assessments are essential to making these approaches effective and equitable. Learn from Stanislaus County’s firsthand experience adopting this model and join a candid conversation about the funding strategies, system changes, and community partnerships that make this work possible.
Meeting the Moment to Prevent Violence: How Cross-Sector Collaborators Are Leading the Way
What happens when hospitals start treating violence as preventable? Across the country, health systems are pioneering models that connect clinical care to community violence intervention (CVI), and the early evidence is compelling.
This panel brings together three institutions at the forefront of this shift. Massachusetts General Hospital’s Gun Violence Prevention Center is training the next generation of clinicians to identify risk and navigate difficult conversations through case-based simulations. New research from Boston University offers findings from the first large-scale study of Boston Medical Center’s Violence Intervention Advocacy Program (VIAP), showing how in-depth interventions for young adult survivors of violence can reduce their risk of future involvement. And the Milken Institute’s survey findings discuss the funding landscape and strategies that sustain these approaches as federal support fluctuates.
Trump Accounts (530A Accounts) & Early Asset Building: Funder-Only Briefing
Hosted by Asset Funders Network and presented in partnership with Grantmakers In Health, Economic Opportunity Funders, Tax Equity Funders Network, and Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. As asset funders, we know that starting early – in childhood – is the best way to create wealth and savings. That’s why we continue to pay close attention to…
New Vaccine Guidance: What Funders Should Know
This timely webinar addressed the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent changes to routine vaccinations. Experts discussed the evolving pattern of vaccine recommendations, including the January 5 update to the Childhood Immunization Schedule, which reduces the number of routinely recommended vaccines and introduces new categories for high-risk groups and shared decisionmaking.
Our speakers will discuss what these changes mean for vaccine access, what to expect moving forward, and how crosssector partners are collaborating to ensure continued coverage. We will also highlight opportunities for philanthropy to get involved.
Communities Fighting Back to Prevent Firearm Violence
Can communities sustain the fight against firearm violence amid shrinking federal support? In Newark, New Jersey, local funders and advocates are showing what’s possible.
This panel brings together public health leaders, funders, and community advocates for a conversation on how democratizing access to data can empower community organizations as collaborators for public safety, and how funders can invest in, scale, and sustain these efforts. Although this discussion is rooted in Newark’s urban setting, the approaches highlighted offer valuable lessons for all funders interested in community safety.
Building Health and Wealth: A Memphis Case Study for Advancing Economic Mobility
This webinar explored how cross-sector collaborations among neighborhood organizations, small businesses, and health care systems are driving measurable change to improve health outcomes and expand economic mobility. This session spotlighted a place-based approach anchored in the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, with insights from the Hyde Family Foundation and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. While rooted in Memphis, the strategies highlighted offer practical lessons for communities nationwide. Together, these organizations are investing in neighborhood revitalization, small business development, and health care workforce pipelines to create the conditions for health and economic opportunity for all.
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