Health Equity

The Health Foundation’s Long Held Commitment to Health Equity 

The Health Foundation is committed to reducing inequities within all aspects of health, including social determinants of health, which are the underlying social and environmental factors that impact health status.  The Foundation takes a multifaceted approach to this work, understanding that community engagement, collaboration, technical assistance, evaluation, and advocacy all play a role in creating sustainable, systemic change.  

Together, these strategies have led the Foundation to play an early role in promoting health equity in our region by addressing issues such as homelessness, food insecurity, criminal justice, and economic mobility, and by achieving systems change that advances health equity in a sustainable way.   

Health Equity Principles in Practice 

The Foundation employs the following strategies to achieve its commitment to health equity: 

 Grantmaking:

• Relying on community stakeholders to identify health issues that should be addressed, as informed by health status indicators and data related to social determinants of health, rather than the Foundation naming health issues and calling for proposals to address those issues; 
• Encouraging community partnerships and collaborative projects to address health equity issues identified at the local level; and 
• Gathering demographic data, when available, to better understand and monitor diverse representation among applicant organizations and populations served. 

Technical Assistance & Resource Sharing: 

• Partnering with and supporting organizations that provide technical assistance to nonprofits and providing referrals for applicants and grantees, as well as information on other funding opportunities, as appropriate; 
• Holding outreach sessions in different modes and places to provide applicants insight into the application and evaluation process; and 
• Fostering communities of practice among Synergy Initiative Project Directors, Project Coordinators, and Evaluators. 

Community Outreach & Collaboration: 

• Engaging a Community Outreach Committee with community members representing organizations from across the geographic area and serving historically marginalized communities, including people with lived experiences; and 
• Participating in meetings of the Community Health Network Areas (CHNAs) and other relevant networks and coalitions throughout the Foundation’s service area to learn about health issues, share information about the Foundation’s grant opportunities, and collaborate with other funders to leverage resources for initiatives addressing issues of health equity. 

Policy & Advocacy: 

• Publicizing successful grant projects to increase the likelihood that a project will be replicated or sustained; 
• Sharing information with public officials regarding evidence-based interventions and collaborative models proven effective through grantmaking; 
• Providing testimony to support policies and legislation aimed at addressing health inequities; and 
• Supporting research, advocacy, and lobbying activities in partnership with other organizations to address health inequities and attract state/federal funding for sustainability of effective models addressing them. 

Demographic Report 

Holding Ourselves Accountable 

The Foundation routinely surveys members of the Board, Community Members serving on Standing Committees, and Staff, asking questions similar to those asked of grant applicants  to benchmark demographic characteristics and lived experiences of its leadership, staff and advisors. This most recent survey was conducted in 2025. Staff will continue to monitor best practices for demographic data collection as they evolve, incorporating feedback and suggestions for improvement.