Health Philanthropy

Towards Transformative Change in Health Care:
High Impact Strategies for Philanthropy

by Terri Langston

Despite billions of philanthropic grant dollars each year being dedicated to health issues, Americans rely on an inequitable health care system that is fragmented, inefficient and costly. The consequences of allowing this ineffective system to perpetuate have led to where health outcomes are determined by social factors such as geography, wealth, race and gender.

Can health philanthropy be more effective at deploying its limited resources to address this crucial but broken system?

Towards Transformative Change in Health Care offers two high impact strategies for grantmakers to more effectively achieve their missions and help address disparate health outcomes resulting from unequal opportunities. It recommends focusing on the unique needs and circumstances of all communities, especially those that remain underserved, and funding heavily advocacy, community organizing and civic engagement for systemic reform.

This is the second in a series of reports that invites grantmakers focused on specific issues to rethink their funding strategies to generate the greatest impact. A report on education philanthropy was published in October 2010. Future reports will be for funders concerned about the environment and the arts.