Event recap · How philanthropy can advance health equity
At our recent virtual event co-hosted by Aperio and the NYU SPS George H. Heyman, Jr. Program for Philanthropy and Fundraising, a panel of experts explored how philanthropists and funders have been—and should be—reimagining health equity.
The pandemic has shifted how we think about our healthcare system. Crisis exposed deep and systemic inequities in access, affordability, and standards of care–and therefore mortality rates and quality of life. As we move forward, how do we close gaps? Center community needs? Improve outcomes?
Moderator:
Gianna Jackson, Special Counsel, Aperio Philanthropy
Panelists:
Daniel Frascella, Chief Program and Grants Officer, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director, Association for Public and Land-grant Universities
Dr. Stephen B. Thomas, Professor and Director, Maryland Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland
The panelists discussed the role of philanthropy in addressing the social determinants of health, deepening community collaboration, advancing patient-centric care, and accelerating systematic change within healthcare institutions—and made recommendations for nonprofits seeking to deepen partnerships with philanthropists in these areas.
Watch the event recording in full here.
What is the change that needs to happen?
“We need to make sure we maintain trust, be genuine, and be committed to listening at the beginning,” said Roger Rennekamp.
Building trust within our communities is key to working toward health equity—many have lost trust in our system (or lack thereof) in many cases. Racism and discrimination continue to erode public trust in the healthcare system.
“We need to change practices to be inclusive and collect data in a non-judgmental way,” said Dr. Stephen Thomas. “Of all the institutions in our society, one would hope that health care would be the place where people are judged not by the color of their skin but by the needs that they have in terms of serving them.
“All of our health professionals take an oath of ethics—so how could it be in our health care system that we see racism and discrimination? The pandemic made a very clear distinction between medicine and medical care, and public health.”
Where does philanthropy come in?
Philanthropists and the organizations they trust must meet this moment with a commitment to centering the communities they serve, every step of the way.
“Use the pandemic as a time for recognizing that there’s some things we don’t know,” says Dr. Thomas. “We think we’re great but you know what? This has humbled us. Let’s lean into that humility and go to the community. They’re suffering, so we can listen while they’re suffering. I think it’s also time for less talk and more action.”
For philanthropists’ dollars to make the greatest impact, our mission work must be guided by what we learn from those we serve. As with so many transformational shifts we are pursuing in our communities, a key piece of this puzzle is understanding root causes for inequities—a depth of understanding that can only be gained by listening to those affected.
Advice for nonprofit fundraisers
These transformations will be imperfect works in progress, but don’t settle for what has been done in the past. Crucially, we must look beyond data points to guide our work, leaning on experts within the community and the lived experiences of those we serve. “Data tells us what the problem is and the places where it might exist—but it’s the people in those communities that tell you why,” says Roger Rennekamp.
What’s next in our discussion?
Aperio will be continuing our 4-part series with the George H. Heyman, Jr. Program for Philanthropy and Fundraising at NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs this Spring.
