Greater Washington Community Foundation Awards Over $5.6 Million to Support Health Access and Housing Stability

Health Equity Fund grants support collaborative approaches to strengthen community health infrastructure and address homelessness

The Greater Washington Community Foundation today announced more than $5.6 million in grants through its Health Equity Fund to support coalitions addressing critical health and housing challenges facing Washington, DC residents.

The grants are part of The Community Foundation's Community Resilience Initiative, which is responding to unprecedented challenges facing the communities we serve by supporting the region's nonprofit sector to sustain critical services. The “Meeting the Moment Through Collective Action” grant round supports collaborative efforts to strengthen the region's health care safety net and expand services for residents experiencing homelessness.

These investments come at a critical time for the Greater Washington region, as significant cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs are set to take effect in 2026 – impacting services that more than a third of DC residents depend on for healthcare, social services, and community safety nets.

“During times of uncertainty, collaborative action is even more essential,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “Our Community Resilience Initiative prioritizes collaboration as a key strategy for meeting this moment and strengthening the sustainable infrastructure our region needs to weather these challenges. These Health Equity Fund grants align with that approach by bringing together coalitions to address the root causes of health disparities, ensuring critical services reach those who need them most.”

The $95 million Health Equity Fund is one of the largest philanthropic funds of any kind focused on community-based nonprofits that serve District residents. Since 2022, the Fund has awarded $68 million in grants to nonprofit organizations with a focus on programs that increase economic mobility and wealth building, advance health advocacy, policy, and systems change initiatives, and support community-based strategies to prevent gun violence and increase public safety.

The most recent investments include support for coalitions working in the following areas:

Supporting DC's Health Care Safety Net

These investments include $4.42 million to coalitions working to strengthen federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and protect health coverage access:

• DC Connected Care Network – Led by the DC Primary Care Association, this network of seven FQHCs will implement a shared model of care designed to sustain health centers and safeguard coverage amid potential policy changes. The coalition includes Bread for the City, Community of Hope, Family Medical Counseling Service, La Clínica del Pueblo, Mary's Center, Unity Health Care, and Whitman-Walker Health.

• Keep DC Healthy Coalition – Led by DC Jobs with Justice, this coalition will work to restore and protect health coverage access through the DC Healthcare Alliance and Basic Health Plan. Partners include Legal Aid DC, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Briya Public Charter School, Mary's Center, La Clínica del Pueblo, Advocates for Justice and Education, and Bread for the City.

Addressing Homelessness

These investments include $1.25 million awarded to The Way Home Campaign, led by Miriam's Kitchen. Founded in 2014, The Way Home Campaign unites nearly 7,000 individuals and 110 organizations committed to solving chronic homelessness in DC. The Steering Committee includes Everyone Home DC, People for Fairness Coalition, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, Georgetown Ministry Center, Friendship Place, Pathways to Housing DC, and The DC Fiscal Policy Institute.

This funding will strengthen the coalition's advocacy and communications work, while supporting partner organizations' capacity to provide direct services, mutual aid, and legal services to residents experiencing homelessness.

A Collaborative Approach

All funded coalitions demonstrate the Health Equity Fund's emphasis on collective impact, bringing together organizations with complementary expertise to deliver coordinated responses. Each coalition includes a backbone organization to coordinate efforts, shared measurement systems to track progress, and clearly defined roles for member organizations.

"Building resilient health systems means investing in the relationships and infrastructure that allow organizations to adapt together," said Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund. "When we support coalitions with the resources and coordination capacity they need, we're not just funding programs; we're strengthening the community's ability to respond to whatever challenges lie ahead while keeping people at the center of every decision."