VIEWS FROM THE FIELD

Roles for Philanthropy as Medicaid Changes Take Effect

Tiffany Donelson, President and CEO, Connecticut Health Foundation

For those of us who have worked toward health equity, who have spent the past few years building toward incremental gains and pushing for larger change, the events of this year can feel like one big backslide. At times, it’s overwhelming.

Yet this is not the time to get bogged down by the size of the challenge or by analysis paralysis. From where I sit, I see five roles that philanthropy can play in the rollout of changes to Medicaid.

VIEWS FROM THE FIELD

​​​Acting with Urgency: Stupski Foundation Accelerates Its Spend-Down Grantmaking

Dan Tuttle, Director of Health, Stupski Foundation
Sulma Gandhi, Hawai’i Health Program Officer, Stupski Foundation
Interviewer: Maya Schane, Grantmakers In Health

In this interview, Grantmakers In Health’s Maya Schane spoke with Dan Tuttle and Sulma Gandhi of the Stupski Foundation about the foundation’s spend-down strategy and acceleration of grantmaking in 2025 in response to federal policy changes. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

VIEWS FROM THE FIELD

Practicing What We Preach: Three Tips for Putting Equity at the Heart of a Successful Application Process

Zamir Bradford, Lynne Le, Jamila M. Porter, Kay Schaffer, de Beaumont Foundation
Megan Collado and Rishika Desai, AcademyHealth
Jamae Morris, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Every step of the grant application process—from initial outreach to final award notification—provides opportunities for funders to either reinforce inequities or dismantle them. The grant application process is often the first barrier that organizations encounter when seeking funding. If designed without an intentional focus on equity, the application process can advantage well-resourced organizations, while disadvantaging equally or better qualified organizations that have fewer resources.

VIEWS FROM THE FIELD

Protecting Children’s Access to Health Care in Schools: The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on School Health Services

Jessie Mandle, National Program Director, Healthy Schools Campaign

“Due to the remote area we serve, our students have little to no access to medical services other than 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 of school-aged children have at least one chronic health condition (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2019). Among low-income children with special health care needs, approximately 87 percent do not receive necessary care, primarily due to financial costs and limited access (Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2022). Providing health care at school, where children spend most of their days, is crucial to addressing these concerns.