Grantmakers in Health

Grantmakers in Health is a nonprofit membership association that connects philanthropic organizations, foundations, and funders working on health policy, public health, and healthcare delivery. It convenes leaders from national foundations, community foundations, corporate philanthropy, and family foundations to inform grantmaking strategy, policy analysis, and program development. The organization operates at the intersection of philanthropy and public policy, engaging stakeholders active in issues ranging from health equity and Medicaid to global health and infectious disease response.

History

Grantmakers in Health was established in 1979 during a period of expanding foundation activity among organizations such as the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Kellogg Foundation. Early work aligned with policy debates influenced by actors like Medicare (United States), Medicaid (United States), and the rise of managed care through entities exemplified by Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Over successive decades the association responded to events including the emergence of HIV/AIDS epidemic, the passage of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and the Affordable Care Act debates involving stakeholders like Commonwealth Fund, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation. Leadership transitions involved executives connected to institutions such as Council on Foundations and collaborations with programs at National Academy of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control.

Mission and Activities

Grantmakers in Health's mission centers on advancing effective philanthropy related to health by informing grantmakers about research, policy trends, and practice innovations. Activities align with convenings similar to summits hosted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and policy briefings often attended by representatives from Johns Hopkins University, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Yale School of Public Health, and Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. The organization provides technical assistance for funders addressing priorities seen in initiatives by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and MacArthur Foundation, while engaging policy actors from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and state agencies such as those in California Department of Public Health and New York State Department of Health.

Programs and Initiatives

Programmatic work includes conferences, webinars, and peer-learning networks modeled on gatherings like the White House Conference on Aging and stimulus-era collaborations involving Philanthropy Roundtable and regional coalitions such as the Health Foundation for Northern Ireland equivalents. Initiatives have focused on health equity, behavioral health, maternal and child health, social determinants of health, and emergency preparedness—areas also addressed by Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and global partners including World Health Organization and UNICEF. Collaborative efforts echo approaches from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and vaccine campaigns led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and CEPI, adapting philanthropic strategies used by the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and disaster response funds managed by The Rockefeller Foundation.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises private foundations, corporate funders, community foundations, and public charities akin to members of the Council on Foundations and networks such as Philanthropy New York and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. Governance is overseen by a board drawn from chief executives and program officers with experience at institutions like Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, Pew Charitable Trusts, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and family philanthropy offices comparable to those of Gates family philanthropic structures. Committees and task forces collaborate with partners including State Health Access Data Assistance Center, Kaiser Family Foundation, and policy experts formerly at Office of Management and Budget.

Research and Publications

The organization produces reports, issue briefs, and toolkits that synthesize evidence from research centers such as Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, Health Affairs, and university-based centers like UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Publications examine topics covered by scholars and practitioners linked to Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and National Association of Community Health Centers. Outputs inform grantmaking on matters addressed in landmark studies and reports by Institute of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, and think tanks including American Enterprise Institute and Center for American Progress, and are used by foundations coordinating with entities like Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.