RWJF

The 2025-2026 RWJF Health Policy Fellows program is accepting applications through November 5. The program connects mid-career professionals interested in working at the intersection of health and public policy with leaders across the federal government. Learn more about gaining hands-on health policy experience in Washington, D.C. through the RWJF Health Policy Fellows program.

Black Philanthropy Month reminds us that now is as good a time as any for philanthropy to amplify the radical tradition of Black giving while repairing our historical underinvestment in Black-led movements. As funders, our present and future strategies must redress legacies of racial harm, including those perpetuated by the philanthropic sector. We at RWJF are among the many organizations who need to show up in deeper solidarity with Black communities and to recommit to this mission-critical pursuit. Doing so requires embracing bold, race-conscious approaches in both our internal practices and grantmaking, especially in a climate that discourages it. For example, we have just started to systematically track the leadership demographics and equity focus of our grant-funded projects, countering longstanding risk aversion that hinders the use of data disaggregated by race and other factors to monitor our own organizational performance. Transparency and accountability about our funding and impact in Black and other historically excluded communities is a long time coming, and will help us track and make progress toward our commitments. We are also following the lead of our partners such as Borealis Philanthropy’s Black Disabled Liberation Project, and finding inspiration from other initiatives, like California Black Freedom Fund and the Black Feminist Fund. Each is an example of how philanthropy can be bold and steadfast in centering and resourcing Black leadership, wisdom and solutions for health and social justice.

Race, class, or geography shouldn’t determine whether someone can access preventative care like effective vaccines. Yet the Bridge Access Program, which helped adults in the U.S. get access to free and low cost COVID-19 vaccinations, regardless of their income or insurance status, is set to end on August 31 amid a summertime COVID-19 wave and the start of back-to-school season. This will disproportionately affect people of color and those with low incomes, who make up most of the uninsured population. In an appearance on Good Morning America, RWJF president, Rich Besser highlights the vital role of vaccination programs in public health and encourages support for policy proposals that aim to extend and continue funding of programs to end vaccine inequity.

Narratives can advance justice and equity, influence policy, support culture change, and illuminate new ways of thinking. That’s why changing the narrative and the way stories are told away from a deficit-frame to an asset-frame is so critical. 🎞️What narratives need to change to advance health equity? 🗨️ Add your response in the comments.

We’ve talked a lot about homeownership being the best pathway for families to build financial security, but homeownership is about 70% higher among White households than Black households in the U.S. This staggering difference did not come about by chance: it is the result of harmful policies and practices, historical and present, that place uneven barriers to homeownership in front of families of color. Since owning a home can lead to positive health outcomes and improve overall wellbeing, breaking down barriers to homeownership is crucial for advancing health equity. To help families purchase their own homes, the Dearfield Fund For Black Wealth, an RWJF-investee, provides no-interest loans of up to $40,000 for prospective Black homebuyers in Colorado. This unique model helps families build financial security, generates financial returns, and creates meaningful social impact.  The Dearfield Fund aims to support 500 first-time homebuyers, generating $50M in cumulative new wealth over 10 years. And they’re already well on their way to reaching this goal. Curious to learn more about how this works? Head to this link: https://rwjf.ws/3WVZEhA  

🗳️Don’t miss your chance to cast your vote for SXSW 2025!    In true “democratizing the imagination of the future” fashion (which you can learn about at one of my proposed panels, detailed below), the people have a say in whether my future-oriented panels will be on the agenda for SXSW’s March 2025 conference. Community input is a major deciding factor for the conference producers, so whether you’re planning to attend the conference or not, please take a few moments to vote for my panels! You can express interest in as many sessions as you’d like before August 18th.    🟣Boldly Reimagining the Future of Health:  https://lnkd.in/eWV3P5tg Futures thinking is for everyone! At RWJF my team and I have been supporting and working with some amazing futurists from a wide range of backgrounds. They are using unique tools and experiences to create the time, space, and expertise for everyone to imagine healthier, more equitable futures. In this panel, we’ll talk about what the Foundation has learned about democratizing the imagination of the future, why it’s important, and how YOU can try this in your own work.     🟣Share your Hunch to Change the World:  https://lnkd.in/eBPB5NJs    Hosting hunch jams—where I bring folks from any and all backgrounds together to share their hunches about the future—is one of my favorite parts of my job. In this session, I hope to hunch alongside SXSW participants, who may just have a unique idea on how we can transform health within our lifetime. Let’s share our hunches together!   #SXSW #PanelPicker

Thanks to our summer interns for their hard work, contributions, and commitment to RWJF’s mission. Your participation has made real and lasting impacts on the Foundation. We wish you the best of luck as you continue to pursue your goals. #Internship #FutureLeaders #SummerInternship #Philanthropy

Join us on September 4 for a conversation about the critical role of data in advancing internal and external health equity efforts. Leaders in advocacy and healthcare will discuss how to identify, analyze, and use data to improve health equity outcomes for all.  After the conversation, attendees will have the opportunity to join small group discussions to share insights, talk about what’s working, and offer suggestions. All are welcome: consumer and justice advocates, healthcare providers, public health experts, and you.

RWJF is hiring! Join a team committed to partnering with others to achieve health equity—faster and together. -Managing Director, Healthy Communities -Impact Investment Officer Head to our website to apply or share with your network to help us recruit qualified candidates! #CareerOpportunities #HiringNow #Career #Philanthropy