Program Officers: Foundations’ Cultural and Strategic Messengers

The foundation program officer has always had a difficult role. Part gatekeeper, part bureaucracy manager, part cheerleader – and now increasingly responsible for building collaboratives, promoting equity and engendering trust. At their best, they can hold all these skills concurrently. At their least effective, they gravitate to one competency over all others and muddle through…

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VIDEO: Build Healthy Places Network Video Snapshot

Allen was recently a guest on the Build Healthy Places Network’s new Video Snapshot Series hosted by Ashley Hernandez. During the interview they talked about the important contributions philanthropy brings to community development and health partnerships in rural areas, as well as philanthropy’s role in accelerating investments aimed at improving health and well-being in rural…

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Think About Rural America As A Place And Not As An Issue

It’s been well documented that rural America represents 97% of the land in the United States; 19% of the people, and some of the fastest (and slowest) growing places in the country. Rural economies that were founded on natural resources have changed and might now be similarly dependent on healthcare or government employment. Many rural…

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