power of convergence

THE POWER OF CONVERGENCE: ADVANCING EQUITY THROUGH POLICY AND PHILANTHROPY EPIP Webinar October 20th, 2014 EPIP Host: Michael Barham Panelists: Jasmine N. Hall Ratliff, Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Amanda Maria Navarro, Deputy Director, Policy Link

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Today’s Panelists Panelists: • Jasmine N. Hall Ratliff, Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Amanda Maria Navarro, Deputy Director, PolicyLink

The Power of Convergence: Advancing Equity through Policy

& Philanthropy

1 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership

Amanda M. Navarro PolicyLink, Program Director of the Convergence Partnership

Jasmine Hall-Ratliff Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

2 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

The Convergence Partnership is a collaborative of eight major foundations,

healthcare institutions, and the CDC engaged in multi-field, equity-focused,

policy and environmental change efforts to achieve healthy people and healthy places.

3 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

•  Ascension Health •  The California Endowment •  Kaiser Permanente •  Kresge Foundation •  Nemours •  Rockefeller Foundation •  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation •  W.K. Kellogg Foundation •  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Technical

Advisor)

•  PolicyLink is the program director •  Prevention Institute serves as strategic advisor

4 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership

Steering Committee

Vision 5 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Healthy People, Healthy Places. A nation in which every community fosters health, prosperity, and well-being for all.

Mission 6 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

The Convergence Partnership aims to achieve its vision by promoting:

•  equity to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and prosper

•  policies and practices that create conditions to sustain healthy people and healthy places

•  connections across multiple fields and sectors that catalyze and accelerate the work

Changes in Communities 7 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Three critical changes in communities will lead to the achievement of the big vision: 1.  Improved access to quality services and systems, such as

affordable transit and healthy food, safe parks and active recreation, and other infrastructure and resources that allow all to thrive.

2.  Greater equity that promotes community assets and creates economic opportunities for low-income people and people of color.

3.  Diverse leadership representative of low-income communities and communities of color, shaping solutions at the local, state, and federal levels.

•  Advancing equity, first and foremost

•  Using collaboration to redefine the boundaries of philanthropy

•  Adopting strategic opportunism

•  Building a network and philanthropic community of practice

8 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

The “Convergence difference”

9 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Efforts to Date Built Environment/ Transportation

–  Federal Transportation Reauthorization Implementation & Advocacy

–  SB375

Access to Healthy Food –  Healthy Food Financing

Initiative –  Food & Ag Policy Fund &

Collaborative

Federal Policy Advocacy –  Sustainable Communities –  Hunger-Free Kids Act –  Prevention Fund/CTG –  Health Reform

Field Building –  14 Regional Convergences –  28 Innovation Fund sites –  Convergence Leadership

Institute: community of practice

•  Speed, particularly in the initial stages •  Flexibility •  Responsiveness •  Leverage •  Synergy •  Equity Integration •  Community Leadership •  Diverse Stakeholders •  Multisector Engagement

10 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Critical Elements of Success

September 18, 2014

Blueprint for Change 12 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

•  Illustrates the elements critical to achieving Healthy People, Healthy Places through an expanded, collective vision.

•  Focuses on strategies that grow and evolve with the partnership.

•  Builds on work underway and outlines new directions.

Priority Outcomes for 2014-2016 13 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

•  Improved policies that advance healthy and equitable communities

•  Greater investments for people and places that need it the most

•  Increased advocacy to advance equitable policies and practices across five focus areas

•  Changes in practice that embrace and promote the Convergence vision and mission

•  An activated network of Convergence champions

•  Increased collaboration and decreased silos across fields and sectors

•  Greater understanding and awareness of Convergence

Core Strategies 14 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

•  Advocacy: Shaping policy to catalyze action for healthy and equitable communities

•  Investments: Generating and leveraging resources for low-income communities and communities of color

•  Partnerships: Bringing organizations together to build power and momentum

•  Network Development: Activating a network of engaged and bold leaders

•  Communications: Lifting up and sharing stories of promise and success

•  Strategic Assessment: Appraising the impact and added value of Convergence

Areas of Focus 15 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

•  Community Economic Development

•  Field Building

•  Food Systems

•  Impact Investing

•  Prevention and Health Systems

•"Partnership+Expansion+Expand"the"na,onal"partnership.""Strengthen"the"Partnership’s"infrastructure."

•"Communica3ons:"Expand"the"visibility"and"understanding"of"CP.""Align"communica,ons"between"na,onal"partners"and"the"field."Engage"in"advocacy"communica,ons"to"reach"policymakers"and"influence"policy"and"prac,ce"change."

•"Strategic+Assessment:""Illustrate"how"the"CP’s"efforts"add"value"to"the"field.""Iden,fy"assets"and"barriers"to"progress"in"advancing"ac,vi,es.""Document"and"monitor"the"evolu,on"of"CP’s"internal"processes.

16 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Cross-Cutting Functions

Ques,on ""

How"has"your"ins,tu,on"worked"with"other"founda,ons"in"your"area?"

•  Learning/informa,on"sharing"only"

•  Coordinated"funding"•  Collabora,ve/pooled"funding"(not"pooled)"•  My"ins,tu,on"hasn’t"worked"with"other"founda,ons""

Convergence Partnership, RWJF & NJ

Jasmine Hall Ratliff, Program Officer

RWJF & Convergence Partnership

•  One of the original founders

•  Childhood obesity prevention

•  Development of regional partnerships

…makes me a better grantmaker – because I have such good colleagues who can help me understand a range of issues from their perspective…it influences how I design programs here at the Foundation.

Dwayne Proctor, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Better Together

•  Partnership for a Healthier America

•  School Nutrition Reauthorization

•  Farm Bill

•  Transportation Reauthorization

•  Regional partnerships

New Jersey Convergence

•  Replicate the national model in New Jersey

•  Pros: ■  Brought together a mix of funders ■  Broad approach to healthy communities ■  Familiarity

•  Barriers: ■  Policy/advocacy approach ■  Presence of RWJF

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What have we learned?

•  New Jersey ■  Figure out how to step away yet still influence ■  Build upon current relationships first, then branch out to other funders ■  This work can grow your professional network

•  National experience ■  Coordinated work -> bigger impact ■  Collaboration -> bigger influence ■  National exposure to foundation leaders

24 September 18, 2014 Convergence Partnership Strategic Plan 2014-2016

Discussion