Weaving the Network for Health Justice: Strength, Solidarity, and the Power of Connection

2025 was a historic year for our Building Capacity for Health Advocacy cycle. We received nearly 700 applications from health justice organizations working across the country. As a small foundation, we could make only six grants this cycle. But the depth of vision, effort, and imagination across this applicant pool stayed with us.

In honor of the time and care organizations poured into sharing their stories, plans, and hopes for their communities, we felt compelled to design a space that brought these leaders together in solidarity—for connection, conversation, and resource-sharing.

Earlier this fall, we hosted our inaugural gathering for 2025 applicants who did not receive funding:

Strength & Solidarity: Weaving the Network for Health Justice.

This peer-centered space was an opportunity for leaders working on Black health equity, food justice, and public health to exchange strategies, learn from one another, and spark new relationships that could carry into future collaborations. Our hope was simple: that everyone would leave with at least one new connection, resource, or idea.

On October 29, more than 60 participants joined us on Zoom and settled into one of three breakout rooms for peer-led dialogue. People shared current challenges, traded tools and resources that helped them build capacity or navigate crises, and found meaningful points of connection with peers from across the country.

What Participants Told Us

“More opportunities to engage with community-based organizations to understand how we’re all navigating the work we do in the current political climate is super helpful + always welcome. Thanks!”

“It was such a great opportunity to learn about similar organizations. Community is the best word to describe the feeling I got from being a part of the session.”

“So great to meet folks and talk collaboration and ideas from across the country—including what is working and not working.”

Though many entered the space as strangers, working in different geographies and contexts, they left with a renewed sense of solidarity—and a clear reminder that they are part of a larger movement of peers who share their values, missions, and vision.

Strength in Numbers

There is real strength in numbers. This gathering was a reminder that even in moments of political pressure, isolation, or attack, leaders across the country remain deeply committed to health equity.

These hundreds of applicants represent networks of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people. They carry clarity about what their communities need to improve health and change the conditions of people’s lives.

One of our breakout facilitators, Shayla Compton of The Center for Black Health & Equity, captured this sentiment beautifully:

“As a public health advocate who has long committed to eliminating health disparities, gathering in a space with other people who are also calling in to navigate spaces that dare to tell communities that ‘Black health equity’ or ‘health justice’ are not priorities was a moment of nourishment—to remember to allow others to pour into me, and to keep pushing upward. The challenges persist, but so does the commitment to saving Black lives. As long as the disparities exist, we will still be here.”

Investing in People, Not Just Programs

There is a profound need for philanthropy to go beyond program grants and invest in capacity, infrastructure, and the leaders who power this work. This event series is one small example of how funders can reimagine their role and offer meaningful support “beyond a grant.”

Connection is an antidote to isolation—and gatherings like these can strengthen the fabric between nonprofit leaders working toward shared goals of health justice and equity. At a moment like this, we need spaces like these more than ever.

If you’re a funder curious about building something similar—or simply exploring new ways to support applicants—we’d love to connect.
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