Giving Compass' Take:

• Maggie Grieve, writing for Grantmakers In Health, discusses the role of philanthropy in bringing about more positive health outcomes. 

• What are the challenges for donors that want to invest in health equity? 

• Read more about health equity philanthropy. 

To what degree does a newly rehabbed apartment help decrease emergency room visits for an asthmatic child?

What are the barriers to improving community residents’ access to healthy foods?

How do neighborhood amenities and safety factors influence a family’s outdoor activities?

The answers to questions like these are increasingly sought-after by grantmakers and community-based service providers working to advance health equity and address the critical health needs in their communities. As projects and cross-sector partnerships that integrate affordable housing, community development, and health begin to scale, documenting the associated health outcomes is essential to gain an understanding of how these efforts address the key social determinants of health and to build the body of evidence needed to tailor interventions in communities.

The paradigm shift that has brought recognition of the social determinants of health to the forefront for grantmakers, health care institutions, and community development has been an important step toward improving community health and health equity. However, it is only the first step.

With that recognition needs to come the corresponding investment that allows nonprofits and community benefit programs on the frontlines to measure the impact of their work on health outcomes.

Read the full article about measuring health outcomes by Maggie Grieve at Grantmakers In Health.