Reimagining Rural Health and Well-being
To inform positive change, Grantmakers in Health (GIH) and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) are partnering to reimagine a unified vision for health and well-being in rural America. The Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) was engaged to conduct a landscape analysis and facilitate listening sessions with rural health stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels.
Reimagining Rural Health Listening Sessions
The Georgia Health Policy Center facilitated two listening sessions—an in-person session in May 2025 (before H.R.1) with 12 representatives from public and private funders and health systems, and a virtual session in July 2025 (post H.R.1) with 21 program implementers from health care and community-based organizations.
Reimagining Rural Health Landscape Analysis
The Georgia Health Policy Center conducted a landscape analysis and key informant interviews between February and April 2025 to capture a snapshot of effective practices of funders (public and private), program implementers (including federally funded grantees, nonprofits, and providers), and support organizations (e.g., state public health institutes, nonprofit organizations, and rural research centers) in rural areas.
Protecting Children’s Access to Health Care in Schools: The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on School Health Services
“Due to the remote area we serve, our students have little to no access to medical services otherthan those provided in schools.”—Superintendent from a rural school district in Michigan. Schools are essential places for children to access health services. An estimated 40 percent ofschool-aged children have at least one chronic health condition (National Survey of Children’sHealth, 2019). Among low-income children with special health careneeds, approximately 87percent do not receive necessary care, primarily due to financial costs and limited access (Childand Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2022). Providing health care at school, where children spend most of their days, is crucial to addressing these concerns.
Responding to a Rural Hospital Closure: The Importance of a Phased, Multi-Pronged Approach
It has been over a year since the August 31, 2024, closure of a beloved community hospital in Ayer, Massachusetts following the bankruptcy of the private equity-backed Steward Health Care system. The impacts of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center closure continue to reverberate across this rural working-class region, adding to a growing sense of abandonment and frustration that has accumulated over waves of health care service cuts.
The Future of Rural Health and Well-Being: Findings from a Landscape Analysis and Listening Sessions
Grantmakers In Health (GIH) and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), with support from the Georgia Health Policy Center(GHPC), are leading an initiative to reimagine rural health and well-being by aligning systems and resources to achieve optimal health for all individuals living in rural America. As part of this effort, the Georgia Health Policy Center conducted a landscape analysis highlighting a sampling of a cross-section of organizations and leaders in rural health and hosted two national listening sessions of key stakeholders.
Medicaid Messaging
As Congress deliberates on Medicaid spending cuts, clear and impactful communication with stakeholders is more important than ever. By sharing real stories, data, and community impact, funders and their grantees can help policymakers understand the consequences of funding reductions and promote informed decision-making. It also helps the general public understand what is at stake, mobilizes communities to advocate for their needs, and ensures vulnerable populations are aware of how policy shifts may affect their health coverage. During this webinar, we heard how funders can lift up the voices of those most affected. Speakers included Alison Betty of alignco, Rob Davidson of the Committee to Protect Health Care, Lisa Fitzpatrick of Grapevine Health, and Jessie Mandle of the Healthy Schools Campaign.
Elizabeth Ripley of the Mat-Su Health Foundation to Be Honored with the 2025 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award
Elizabeth Ripley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mat-Su Health Foundation in Alaska, will receive Grantmakers In Health’s 2025 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award.
Maternal Health in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways Forward
Maternal health is a cornerstone of any community’s well-being, yet American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women face disproportionate challenges in achieving safe and healthy pregnancies. Historical inequities, systemic barriers, and the enduring effects of colonization have resulted in significant maternal health disparities within Native communities. However, these same communities are also sources of resilience, creativity, and innovation. Maternal health programs aimed at centering community in tradition, culture, and resiliency can offer unique, cross-sectoral solutions to complex systemic health barriers for AI/AN families.
Investing in Civic Infrastructure: The Rise of a New Foundation in a Rural, Disinvested Community
When people hear about our work in Imperial Valley, they often exclaim, “How exciting to build a new foundation!” But I gently redirect them: We’re not building another institution— the last thing our communities need is another organization competing for resources. Instead, we’re building civic infrastructure to create the framework for lasting, community-led change.