Health Equity Fund

The Greater Washington Community Foundation's Health Equity Fund is seeking applications from organizations dedicated to strengthening community support services, providing health resources, and implementing service models that increase income, economic mobility, and build wealth. This initiative aligns directly with the Foundation's mission to invest in community practices and infrastructures that improve economic mobility, particularly for Black, Brown, Indigenous, people of color, and other marginalized populations in the District of Columbia. The grant program emphasizes supporting organizations that value community networks and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement. The primary target beneficiaries of this fund are Black, Brown, Indigenous, people of color, and other marginalized populations and the communities where they reside in the District of Columbia. The impact goals are centered on improving prospects for economic mobility and health outcomes for these groups. The Foundation is particularly interested in projects that break from the status quo, embodying innovation, disruption, and collective work, while also encouraging collaborative community networks as part of these innovations. Key priorities and focuses for this grant include demonstrating a learning orientation, incorporating community networks (both formal and informal) to build valuable relationships with those most impacted by disparities, and implementing innovative and disruptive programs. Innovative projects are defined as those featuring new methods, advanced, original, or creative thinking, while disruptive projects cause radical change or interrupt the status quo. The Foundation also prioritizes organizations that approach their work through a racial equity lens and whose staff and board leadership reflect the communities they serve. Expected outcomes and measurable results include improved economic mobility and health outcomes for marginalized populations in D.C. The grant duration is two years, with funding levels tied to the organization's operating budget: up to $100,000 per year for those with budgets under $2 million, and up to $200,000 per year for those above $2 million. Grant recipients are also expected to engage with the Health Equity Fund as key informants and partners for future strategy, participating in evaluation-related convenings and being responsive to requests for information and data over the grant period. This engagement underscores the Foundation's strategic priority of continuous learning and adaptive programming to maximize impact.