Contribute to the Philanthropic Growth and Impact Fund
Featured Resources
bi3 Article: Trust-Based Philanthropy is Grounded in Mutual Accountability and Learning
A new article shows how applying a trust-based philanthropy lens helps funders capture the full impact of grants, describes how bi3 evaluates initiatives, and how building funder-grantee relationships grounded in power-sharing, transparency, and mutual accountability helps achieve greater impact.
New Competency Model for Foundation Program Officers Released
The Dorothy A. Johnson Center on Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University has released a competency model for foundation program officers.
Taking A cultivate approach to Improve Community Health
Health foundations are increasingly recognizing that their mission is not simply to award grants to deserving nonprofit organizations, but rather to play a catalytic role in improving the conditions that influence health, especially at a population level.
Explore Philanthropic Growth and Impact Topics
Recent Items - Advocacy Strategies
Latest Resources
The Catalyst for the Long Game is Community
Friday may have marked the close of the 2023 GIH Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy, but it was just the beginning of a renewed commitment to the long game. From deep laughs at the wellness activity to deeper discussions during breakout sessions, the last day left attendees with takeaways to catalyze conversations with colleagues and communities.
An Abundance of Opportunities to Learn, Connect, and Grow
Thursday at the GIH Annual Conference was a day filled with connection, learning, and growth. Wellness sessions featuring yoga, breathwork, and Hula as exercise gave attendees time to recharge in between an engaging lineup of sessions. Read more about today’s award luncheon, keynote address by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, plenary panel focusing on the implications of the Dobbs decision, and the conference offsite reception.
Committing to the Long Game in Health Philanthropy
Today marked the official start of the 2023 Grantmakers In Health Annual Conference. Attendees were up bright and early to get to know Minneapolis, the home of this year’s conference and original site of the 2020 gathering.
A Conversation with Jill Shumann, Grantmakers In Health’s New Vice President for Programming
This month, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) President and CEO Cara V. James sat down with Jill Shumann, GIH’s new Vice President for Programming, to learn more about Jill’s long career in health and how her experience applies to GIH’s mission of advancing better health for all through better philanthropy. Jill discussed her formative years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, her work on international public health in Africa, and her recent tenure at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Purpose-Driven Investments: Advancing Equity by Diversifying Foundations’ Asset Managers
In 2020, none of the Health Forward Foundation’s assets were managed by Black, Latina, or Latino managers. Struck by that stark reality, Health Forward began the process of diversifying the asset managers in its investment portfolio as part of a larger strategy to align the Foundation’s capital with its purpose.
Caring for Denver Foundation
“Increased economic and social stress is driving a higher need for mental health and substance misuse care, making the work of our grantee partners even more important than when we were founded. People are ready to talk about and seek help, and Caring for Denver’s grantmaking process is ready to meet this moment because it is centered in reflecting the unique cultural needs, values, and beliefs of the city’s diverse communities.”
Reports and Publications
2024 Health Equity Survey: Understanding the Changing Landscape
In 2024, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) surveyed its Funding Partners to understand how their health equity work has evolved. The survey consisted of 40 questions including demographic information, program focus areas, partner engagement, organizational strategy, priority population, successes, and challenges. This report summarizes findings from the Health Equity Survey titled, “Understanding the Changing Landscape.”
Diversity in the Leadership, Staff, and Boards of Health Philanthropy
A new Grantmakers In Health survey of health funder leadership, staff, and boards found that health funder organizations are more racially and ethnically diverse than the broader field of philanthropy.
Advancing Health and Creating Lasting Impact: MacKenzie Scott’s Grants to Health Foundations
In 2019, MacKenzie Scott announced that she was stepping into the world of philanthropy to give away her multi-billion-dollar fortune “until the safe is empty”. She has kept her word—to date, she has given away $16.5 billion. Her initial process for choosing which organizations would receive grants was shrouded in mystery. From 2019 to 2023, Scott used a process she termed “quiet research” to identify possible grantee organizations. The lucky organizations received a call from Scott’s consultants, who let them know they were receiving a grant for immediate use however they would like to spend it. In the Fall of 2022, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) became one of those grantee organizations, along with more than 20 health foundations. Two additional GIH Funding Partner organizations received gifts in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Trustee Resources
Explore this page to browse resources, publications, and events related to foundation trustees.