Impact Investments at RWJF

Hospitals, health systems, and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) have a shared interest in supporting the communities they serve.?? ? Ibrahim Rashid, MPP, describes “a powerful opportunity” for health system impact investors to invest in the many factors that shape health and wellbeing, while describing “practical challenges” in coordinating efforts and aligning expectations in a recent ImpactAlpha article: https://lnkd.in/eXSw4Cf9

In 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was passed to allow greater regulation of the nation’s drinking water systems, reduce contaminants that may be found in water, and protect public health.?? ? Earlier this week, Radhika Fox— former US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assistant administrator for water, long-time water advocate, and RWJF-strategic advisor on water—testified at the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the SDWA.? ? Fox describes how far we’ve come in the last five decades, and what we can do in the next five to secure safe, affordable drinking water for all in the U.S. Check out her insights below, and listen to the whole testimony here for more: https://lnkd.in/ge8ykYkt ?

Increased, targeted investments can help communities thrive.??? ? For too long, Latino communities have not received the financial support they need from the traditional finance sector. But organizations like the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB), an RWJF investee, help ensure that Latino-led local organizations have the flexibility and funding needed to drive effective change on the ground. Marla Bilonick, President and CEO of NALCAB, and our impact investments lead Zoila Jennings dive deeper into why this work is crucial for Latino communities in the latest RWJF blog post. https://rwjf.ws/NiOeBZ? ?? ? Philanthropy, private investors, government, and others can all work together, alongside community members, to break down barriers to economic opportunity for and provide crucial dollars to Latino communities.?

Homeownership is closely tied with health and wellbeing by helping households create economic stability and build intergenerational wealth.? ? And while there are many initiatives underway to increase homeownership rates, little attention has been paid to preserving ownership once a family owns a home. Loss of homeownership disproportionately affects households of color and households with low incomes due to structural barriers.? ? To improve health and advance racial equity, our Impact Investments team at RWJF is exploring four key ways to preserve homeownership.? ? Dive deeper into our approaches and learn about some of our investments and grants in the space below.?

As a foundation focused on the health and wellbeing of our nation, RWJF has the privilege and mandate to remain determined in the face of heightened political uncertainty. We also understand this work is very personal for many and the stress of the moment can make us forget the values that unite us. ? We all have dreams for ourselves and our families, but we don’t yet all have the same opportunities to make those dreams come true. Our grantees tirelessly continue to remove barriers – including structural racism – to realize those dreams, day after day. The work of grantees pushing ahead in the face of withering attacks on pro-equity work, litigation, and other threats is inspiring. ? I also know that our inspiration must equal action. ? We reaffirm our commitment to health equity and working together with our grantees and others to tear down barriers to health and wellbeing. That includes bolstering our work around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, reproductive justice, and access to affordable healthcare that treats everyone with dignity. ? RWJF will vigorously work toward a better future for our children and grandchildren. And we will continue to channel energy, resources, and voice to working toward a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

Across the nation, outdated water systems fail to provide affordable, safe drinking water to millions of people, particularly in communities of color and communities with low incomes. From lead contamination to inadequate stormwater management, these problems are becoming more urgent—and more costly. ? ? The good news is that solutions are in sight!?The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act allocated more than $50B for crucial water infrastructure updates, distributed through state revolving funds. Communities across the country can apply for funds—and funders and impact investors can support them so they have the resources and staff time to do so.? ? In a blog post for the The Joyce Foundation, our team director Kimberlee Cornett, RWJF Senior Program Officer Pamela Russo, and RWJF consultants Radhika Fox and Rebecca Morley highlight a path forward: directing federal dollars for water infrastructure to the places that need them most, now.? ? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/edK66cVj??

We are looking forward to tuning into this National Community Reinvestment Coalition - NCRC webinar next Thursday, November 7 at 2 p.m. ET!? ? RWJF grantees K. Scott Kohanowski, Natasha M., and Dr. Keith Wiley will sit down with NCRC’s Jacelyn Matthews MA, EdM, to dive deeper into the scope of the issue of heirs’ property and tangled titles; how they impact long-term homeownership and wealth building; and proposed solutions.? ? Register below to listen in alongside us.?

Every community in every ZIP code should be a place where people can live their healthiest lives. No matter where you live, everyone should have access to affordable housing, good jobs, clean and safe drinking water, and a thriving local economy. To make this vision a reality, we need a stronger, more equitable community development finance system. At Impact Investments at RWJF, we know that this system is critical for creating opportunity and advancing health equity in communities that historically have been excluded from traditional financing. That’s why we invest across the spectrum of community development finance, from community development financial institutions to credit unions and more, to support the people and businesses that make the places they live a home for themselves and their neighbors. Learn more: https://rwjf.ws/muDhD1

A home can be a family’s largest financial asset—something that can be passed down to the next generation or used as collateral for starting a business or paying for education. That’s why preserving homeownership is an important focus of our investments aimed at advancing health equity and reducing the racial wealth gap.? ? Recently, our Associate General Counsel, Ruth Gao sat down with Michael Lohmeier (of IMPACT Community Capital LLC), Paul Bradley (of ROC USA), Jazmin Segura (of Common Counsel Foundation) and Devin Culbertson (of Grounded Solutions Network) to discuss a broad spectrum of ways to preserve affordable housing for both renters and homeowners.?? ? A big thanks to David Bank, and everyone at ImpactAlpha for hosting this important conversation. To learn more about why our team has homeownership preservation as one of our three key strategies, watch the video below ??

There’s no question that the back-to-back damage from hurricanes Milton and Helene demonstrated, once again, the unsettling reality that there are major gaps in insurance coverage. According to AccuWeather, storm damage could be as high as $250 billion with only around $5 billion of those losses covered by insurance—leaving countless homeowners without help to rebuild, especially in communities of color and those with low incomes.?? ? As Saul Elbein reports in The Hill, the southeastern region of the United States is typically prone to damaging hurricanes like these, but this time it was different. It was clear that federal insurance protections don’t accurately cover regions most at risk, and even in the areas covered by federal maps, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is too pricey for many homeowners.?? ? As climate change continues to amplify the frequency and severity of these events, it’s crucial that communities receive proper protection. That’s why our impact investing team at RWJF is exploring the changing property insurance market and potential solutions to ensure all homeowners, regardless of income, can access comprehensive insurance at an affordable rate.?? ? Learn more about the urgent need for updated insurance coverage:?? https://lnkd.in/e8K_REji