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Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is committed to supporting health funders as they navigate the changing field of philanthropy and to building a more inclusive nonprofit sector.

 

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.

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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.

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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.

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Explore Philanthropic Growth and Impact Topics

Latest Resources

Public Policy and the Equity Agenda

While a number of leading organizations have called for health in all policies, imagine if the field went a step further to call for health equity in all policies.

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Better Health Through Better Philanthropy - Grantmakers in Health

The Role of Evaluation in Designing CHOMPERS! and Bringing Dental Care to Kids

In response to the clear and urgent need to improve the dental health of young children living in poverty in western and central New York, the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York launched CHOMPERS! Because the foundation was taking a brand new approach in implementing the Cavity Free Kids curriculum as part of the initiative, a strong evaluation was critical.

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Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation

Learn more about Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation’s mission, vision, and approach in this Grantmaker Focus profile.

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Social Connectedness and Health: A Fresh Approach to Community-Driven Grantmaking

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation sought to engage the public in learning about social connectedness and the impact those connections can have on health.

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Sustaining Health Care Improvement Initiatives through Policy

Many foundations now recognize their own responsibility and the opportunity to improve the sustainability of grant projects by taking active roles in advocating for important public and private policy changes. By partnering with grantees and by capitalizing on their unique roles, foundations can work with policymakers to continue successful programs through ongoing policies that sustain transformative efforts.

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Philanthropy: Terrance Keenan Style

The Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy launched in 2010 in honor of a giant in philanthropy, the late Terrance Keenan.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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Trustee Resources

Explore this page to browse resources, publications, and events related to foundation trustees.