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Financing Healthier & More Equitable Communities

Developing Resources to Conquer Tough Challenges

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Abstract:  Money for mission. It’s a continuing challenge in fostering health communities and the survivability of institutions that serve them. Research has shown that a majority of community agencies do not have the resources to meet demand for services and since 2002 prevention funding has declined in U.S. health outlays. But new capital funds are being developed to move beyond traditional brick and mortar funding and instead invest in financing healthy retail, food access, and staffing health centers and advocacy. This has created new financing for some of the most pressing health challenges facing underserved communities including preventing diabetes and fighting back against tobacco. Here are some new opportunities for money for mission.

Learning Objectives: Webinar participants will be able to:

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  • Identify at least one factor cited by community residents that impacts health equity.

  • Identify at least one impact of capital access in building healthy communities.

  • Identify at least one equity evidence-based strategy for prevention.

Presenters:  Models for financing health equity.

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  • Onika Lewis – Manager, Nonprofit Finance Fund New Markets Tax Credits, will provide an overview of the $875 million NFF has deployed in communities to advance equity. She will discuss the New Markets Tax Credits Program, including a new small loan fund, for use in health and human services operations; and innovative products including AIM Healthy providing tailored capital and consulting for essential community services to foster healthier and more equitable communities.

  • Sara Bartel – Senior Attorney, ChangeLab Solutions, will discuss leveraging Community Development Block Grants for equity, public financing options for creating healthy retail environments, and examples of no cost options for civic leaders to pursue such as shared use agreements to expand safe places for physical activity. She will also profile the newly launched Blueprint for Changemakers on achieving health equity through law and policy.

  • Yonina M. Gray – Director of External Relations, Reinvestment Fund (RF), will share the corporate strategy behind the mission-driven deployment of $2 billion in capital from 880 investors to build more equitable communities. Hear how Reinvestment Fund marshals data analytics, capital, partnerships and social determinants of health to deliver high impact policy, facilities and programs such as The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) and Fund for Quality (FFQ).

Resources:  A series of online tools based on presentations.

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​Resources for Financing

  • Financial Self-Assessment – Worksheet to help non-profits better understand and articulate their financial story and resource needs.

  • Crafting Your Organization’s Financial Story – Guide to help non-profits convey how your programmatic work and finances fit together to create a comprehensive picture of your organization’s impact on healthier more equitable communities.

  • New Market Tax Credits Search – Searchable map of Community Development Entities (CDEs) with available New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations available by state, DC, Puerto Rico, and certain U.S. Territories.

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Finance Funds at the Intersection of Health and Human Services

  • New Market Tax Credit Application – A short 5-minute inquiry application for those interested in exploring NMTC financing from the Nonprofit Finance Fund.

  • AIM Healthy – Nonprofit Finance Fund program providing loans and lines of credit and financial consulting directed to California providers of essential community services to help bridge gaps in capacity and infrastructure.

  • Healthy Food Financing Initiative – A public-private financing initiative to improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, create and preserve jobs, and foster community well-being.

  • Bond Guarantee Program – Reinvestment Fund program provides long-term (minimum of 10 years), fixed-rate capital to support projects that create jobs and increase access to health and human services in underserved communities.

 

Policy Approaches to Financing Healthier and More Equitable Communities

  • PolicyMap – Reinvestment Fund service providing data on demographics, real estate, health, jobs, and more in communities to support planning of services.

  • Healthy Housing Starter Kit – ChangeLab toolkit to guide partnerships, including funding options, and case examples of health and housing initiatives.

  • Green for Greens – ChangeLab toolkit of public funding for healthy retail, including Community Development Block Grants, provides a guide to approaching economic development agencies to improve healthy food access in low-income communities.

  • Shared Use – Sometimes it’s not about financing; insurance, policy, or legal barriers can prevent partnership. This ChangeLab collection of tools help support development of shared use arrangements to allow public and private property owners to broaden access to underutilized recreation facilities for community use.

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