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Health Forward is dedicated to supporting work that builds health and wealth for all.
A desire for change, for racial and economic equity, and for healthier communities lies at the core of every effort we undertake.
We advocate for the health of people that make communities thrive. Our efforts focus on whole-person care — from physical and behavioral to oral health and social services. And we support innovative ideas that make our health care system more inclusive.
Powerful communities are healthy communities. We work to adjust the balance of power by encouraging community members to participate in democracy, amplifying community movements, and supporting community leaders and advocates.
The places we live impact how healthy we are. Our approach to improving where we live focuses on two influential social factors: housing and digital access.
How healthy we are is strongly influenced by our society’s systems, policies, and stories.
To advance racial equity and economic inclusion, Health Forward is partnering with local governments and funders to center equity and race in all policies, systems, and decisions. We are reshaping the way people understand and talk about racial, economic, and health equity. And we are aligning our invested resources in a way that advances our purpose and has a positive impact on the people and communities we serve.
The stories we elevate are as diverse as the communities we serve. Discover some of the ways the Kansas City region is working toward a future of health equity.
Communities are healthier when people are engaged in decision-making about their health. That is why efforts to defund NPR and PBS public media stations are misguided and dangerous to the health of our communities. As a proud supporter of public media for the past 20 years, we urge you to reach out to your Senators and ask them to reject efforts to defund NPR and PBS.
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Legislative sessions in Kansas and Missouri have concluded. While we fought for many of the outcomes to be different than they ended up, we’re grateful for the wins, the lessons, and for the solidarity and partnership of allies and organizations in both states. We remain steadfast in our advocacy and will remain present during the legislative offseason when we’ll be connecting with policy partners, policymakers, and others to keep moving our agendas in Kansas and Missouri forward.
We are pleased to announce $515,000 in funding for 17 nonprofit organizations committed to advancing digital access, skills, and equity throughout its six-county service area. These community-based organizations have established relationships and experience with the people they serve to increase reliable internet access, provide digital devices, and develop digital skills.
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In a time of unprecedented action to dismantle policies and practices that protect the well-being of all Americans, where chaos is the principal strategy to overthrow the will of, and care for, the American people, Health Forward Foundation remains rooted in what is legally and morally right.
Season’s Greetings! As the year comes to a close, I continue my annual Health Forward tradition of sharing Sankofa reflections on the journey we’ve traveled.
No matter what is most frequently said of immigration, the truth is that new Americans bring a wealth of skills, experiences, and perspectives that significantly benefit our communities. We want to shed light onto the positive contributions immigrants make to our economies and workplaces on both sides of the state line.
As we commemorate Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), we at Health Forward Foundation are inspired to reflect on the significance of this movement and its profound impact on our work in promoting health and economic equity.
Here's what we learned from our innovative public information campaign designed to elevate the ideas and perspectives of our community partners while minimizing a more prescriptive approach many funders have used in the past.
Here’s the backstory on how our partners at Revolución Educativa are building power within Kansas City’s Latino community.
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