Resources Archive - The California Wellness Foundation

Advancing Wellness Poll

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 20:02:40 +0000

What Makes a Healthy Community?

We reached out to Californians to hear how their health is impacted by where they live. The poll explored factors like safety, access to quality health care, jobs, education and more. We also partnered with Zócalo Public Square to share the stories behind the data and lift up community voices from across the state. The Advancing Wellness Poll, conducted by Field Research Corporation, surveyed nearly 2,200 California adults in seven languages and dialects to capture perspectives across the state’s diverse populations. The poll finds that problems including rising income inequality, crime, environmental pollution and lack of economic opportunity are taking a toll on Californians’ health and wellness – and residents know it.

Read the Report

In such a sprawling place, with so much disconnection, how much could people care about their own little neighborhoods? Answer: An awful lot.
Joe Matthews, Zócalo Public Square

We created an infographic to capture the key findings in our Wellness Poll. For example, 46% of Californians say that gangs and gun violence are a regular part of daily life.

See Key Findings

76%
of Californians say that most local eating establishments are fast food restaurants
93%
of Californians recognize that polution threatens their health
46%
46% of Californians say that gangs and gun violence are a regular part of daily life.

The Stories

California is an unequal state when it comes to health and wellness, but the poll uncovered bright spots. We partnered with journalists at Zócalo Public Square to share stories of both the challenges Californians face and the solutions they have discovered.

Read The Stories

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Resources: Philanthropy & Communications

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The California Wellness Foundation supports a wide variety of projects that broaden and strengthen philanthropy in California. To learn more about philanthropy in California and nationwide, you may want to explore the following links.

General Resources

The Foundation Center's mission is to strengthen institutional philanthropy by advancing public understanding of the field and providing training in the grantseeking process. The Foundation Center's website provides comprehensive data on philanthropy in the United States and links to hundreds of sites dedicated to foundation and corporate giving in the United States and Canada.

GuideStar, produced by Philanthropic Research, Inc., provides information — including tax returns — about the operations and finances of private foundations and nonprofit organizations.

National Associations and Organizations

The websites of these organizations include information about how to start a foundation, as well as regulatory and legal guidelines for foundations.

Formed nearly 20 years ago as a volunteer membership association to promote strategic communications in philanthropy, the Communications Network is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support foundations and nonprofits to improve lives through the power of smart communications. Through its website, social media networks and events, this organization works to connect communications professionals working in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector to each other.

The mission of the Council on Foundations, a national nonprofit membership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations, is to promote responsible and effective philanthropy. The Council on Foundation's website offers information about services for members, as well as general information about grantmaking. Also featured is information about affinity groups, which are formal or informal associations of grantmakers that share similar interests.

Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Its mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community's knowledge, skills, and effectiveness. Its website features numerous publications, reports, resources and event information, as well as webinars on the work of health funders, institutions and nonprofits working to improve the health and wellness of all individuals.

Independent Sector is a national association of foundations, corporations and nonprofit organizations that focuses on tracking and promoting volunteering and charitable giving in the United States. The association’s website provides information about trends in the nonprofit sector and updates on public policy issues that impact individual donors, foundations and nonprofit organizations.

Regional Associations of Grantmakers

Regional associations of grantmakers (RAGs) represent foundation and corporate givers at the regional and statewide levels, focusing on issues unique to the geographies they serve.

The Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers is a national association of RAGs, which provides information about the activities of its individual members and collaborative efforts among RAGs, as well as links to member websites.

Northern California Grantmakers is an association of foundations, corporate contributions programs and other private grantmakers in the Bay Area.

San Diego Grantmakers is a leading convener and resource for organized philanthropy in the San Diego region.

Southern California Grantmakers is a regional association serving public, private, community, family and corporate foundations, as well as individual philanthropists, in Southern California.

News Media Resources

The field of philanthropy is covered by numerous news media outlets, some of which are listed below. Some websites may require a subscription to access certain types of content.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy, “the newspaper of the nonprofit world,” is published biweekly.

GrantWatch, a section of the health policy journal Health Affairs, focuses on health philanthropy with a particular focus on news about foundations. It features guest posts by leaders in health philanthropy, researchers and others.

Each issue of Nonprofit Quarterly focuses on a theme of critical importance to nonprofit leaders.

The Nonprofit Times provides financial-oriented news and information for nonprofit management.

Philanthropy Journal is a resource for national news, and provides information and opinion about charitable giving.

Philanthropy News Digest is a resource for nonprofit organizations that can be easily searched by topic (e.g., health, general fundraising and expert opinion).

Published by the Center for Social Innovation at Stanford University, Stanford Social Innovation Review presents new thinking about nonprofit management, philanthropy and corporate citizenship.

Communications Resources

The following list of communications resources for grantees and other nonprofit organizations contains resources that examine the role of communications and recommends an array of tactics that can help further the missions of nonprofit organizations. This section also features resources on such topics as developing a strategic plan, advancing policy and advocacy issues, working with the news media, creating advertisements and framing issues.

Alliance for Justice, a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations has worked to advance the cause of justice for all Americans, strengthen the public interest community's ability to influence public policy and foster the next generation of advocates.

The Association of Health Care Journalists website features easy-to-access resources for reporters, editors and others covering health news.

University of Southern California’s The Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy promotes more effective philanthropy and strengthens the nonprofit sector through research that informs philanthropic decision-making and public policy to advance community problem solving.

The Communications Network is a nonprofit organization with the mission to support foundations and nonprofits to improve lives through the power of smart communications.

Cause Communications mission is to communicate for good and elevate the nonprofit sector through best practices, tools and training.

GrantCraft combines the practical wisdom of funders worldwide with the expertise of the Foundation Center to improve the practice of philanthropy. The organization offers free resources in more than 10 languages and multiple formats, including guides, infographics, blogs, podcasts, and more.

Goodman Center written by Andy Goodman and published by Cause Communications in 2002, draws from research to explain how nonprofit presentations can engage, educate and persuade.

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Resources: Advancing Health Care Reform and the Affordable Care Act

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

ACA 411: Tracking Health Reform in California, California HealthCare Foundation — an interactive tool that provides baseline and trend data about health insurance, access to health care and the affordability of health care.

The Affordable Care Act, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — an easy-to-read, comprehensive overview of the Affordable Care Act, including links to obtain coverage.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum: Health Care for Me — educational tools and materials in several languages about the Affordable Care Act and how to get covered.

Covered California — California’s health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

Covered California Update, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network — a website that provides up-to-date news and information about Covered California.

Health Care Reform, New America Media — a compilation of news items about health care reform intended to educate diverse ethnic groups in the U.S., as well as support news outlets with a diversity of ethnic audiences.

Health4AllKids — information about enrolling children in Medi-Cal, including undocumented immigrants.

Ready, Set, Enroll — a May 2016 brief published by Blue Shield of California Foundation that explores the strategies being used by community health centers to help undocumented children gain health coverage under SB 75.

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Resources: Strengthening Community Clinics and Safety-Net Partners

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County — an association of community clinics in the Los Angeles area.

Community Clinic Consortium — an association of community clinics in Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Medical Education Debt Relief, Uncommon Good — an organization that provides loan repayment assistance to help make it easier for health professionals to afford to work in community clinics.

National Association of Community Health Centers — an association that provides a unified voice and a common source for research, information, training and advocacy for community clinics.

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Resources: Improving Oral Health Care for Low-Income Adults and Seniors

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Administration on Aging: Oral Health — a website that provides an overview of oral health issues for older adults, as well as webinars and information about accessing dental care and descriptions of innovative oral health care programs.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Oral Health, Adult Oral Health — a web page that provides fact sheets, journal articles and research related to the oral health of older Americans.

Center for Oral Health — a California-based organization that provides education, research and advocacy related to oral health.

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Resources: Increasing Diversity in the Health Professions

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The Campaign for College Opportunity — an organization that conducts research about barriers to college graduation in California and advocates for reforms to the state’s higher education system.

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science’s Pipeline Programs — programs administered by Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science intended to increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing careers in health.

FACES for the Future Coalition — a coalition of programs that provide health careers exploration, academic enrichment, supportive services and leadership development for underrepresented minority youth.

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Resources: Fostering Healthy Environments

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

California Food Policy Advocates — an organization that advocates for policies in California that will lead to better nutrition for low-income children and families.

Center for Health Journalism — learn about initiatives to improve urban neighborhoods with gardens and small parks.

ChangeLab Solutions — an interdisciplinary team that researches and drafts model policies — and provides technical assistance — on environmental issues such as land use and transportation planning, childhood obesity prevention, tobacco control, food systems and school environments.

Healthy Food Access Portal — publications, videos, links to local resources and information about funding to help community leaders, government officials, public health advocates and others plan and implement policies and programs to improve access to healthy foods in low-income areas and communities of color.

Klammath Riverkeeper — an example of an organization working on many fronts to improve the environment, specifically by engaging in scientific analysis, monitoring, grassroots outreach, policy advocacy and litigation to protect water quality in California’s Klammath Basin.

National Resources Defense Council, Communities — policy solutions related to increasing the environmental health of underserved communities.

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Resources: Promoting Violence Prevention

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

ACEs Too High — a news site that reports on research about adverse childhood experiences, including developments in epidemiology, neurobiology and the biomedical and epigenetic consequences of toxic stress.

Black Jacket — a documentary about a violence prevention curriculum in South Los Angeles that seeks to change the violent mindsets of influential gang members, one person at a time.

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence — a policy advocacy organization dedicated to dramatically decreasing the number of deaths by guns.

California Funders for Boys and Men of Color — a collaboration of CEOs from 15 California foundations dedicated to aligning their efforts, resources and influence to improve the lives of boys and men of color in California.

California: Strong Gun Laws Saves Lives (click to download full report) — This 2019 report by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence finds that, as firearm regulations went into effect in California, firearm deaths declined more rapidly in California than in the rest of the United States (download one-page summary here).

CDC’s Injury Prevention & Control: Division of Violence Prevention — research, reports and recommendations about preventing violence.

The Chronicle of Social Change — a publication dedicated to solution-based news coverage of child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health and educational issues faced by vulnerable children.

Community Safety by Design: Preventing Violence through Land Use — This report, produced by the Prevention Institute in November 2015, explores the nexus of land use and neighborhood safety and analyzes the implications of the current state of practice.

Engaging Communities in Reducing Gun Violence: A Road Map for Safer Communities — This report (published by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the Urban Institute and The Joyce Foundation in April 2016) documents that people of color support common sense gun laws and provides a road map for policymakers.

Everytown for Gun Safety — a nationwide, grassroots group that advocates for commonsense gun safety policies and regulations.

Giffords Law Center — the nation’s leading policy organization dedicated to researching, writing, enacting, and defending proven laws and programs, is on a mission to save lives from gun violence by shifting culture, changing policies, and challenging injustice.

The Guardian: Guns and Lies — in a year-long series, the Guardian investigates the initiatives that are saving lives in an area scarred by rising inequality and gentrification.

Hope and Heal Fund -- dedicated to preventing gun violence by funding, supporting, and amplifying community-driven, public health solutions.

The Human Toll of Jail — The Human Toll of Jail is a platform for true stories about and by ordinary people, both those who are or have been caught up in the criminal justice system, and those who work on its front lines.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research — an organization that brings public health perspectives and expertise to the complex policy issues related to gun violence prevention through research, policy analysis and public discourse.

Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence — a national law center focused on providing comprehensive legal expertise in support of gun violence prevention and the promotion of smart gun laws.

National Council on Crime & Delinquency — an organization that promotes just and equitable social systems for individuals, families and communities through research, public policy and practice.

Pew Research Center — learn what the data says about gun deaths across the United States.

The Prosecution of Youth as Adults — a report that details how “prosecutorial direct file” — a process that allows prosecutors wide discretion in prosecuting youth in adult courts — leads to more youth of color landing in adult prisons and missing out on the education and rehabilitative services they would have received in juvenile detention.

RYSE — learn more about the center that creates safe spaces grounded in social justice for young people to love, learn, educate, heal, and transform lives and communities.

Urban Peace Institute — UPI is a recognized leader in the field of community safety, just policing, and systems reform to end violence and mass incarceration.

Violence Prevention Initiative — the goal of the Violence Prevention Initiative is to reduce violence and create safer and healthier communities for all Californians.

Violence Prevention Research Program, University of California, Davis — learn about this multi-disciplinary program of research and policy development.

Witness L.A. — an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan source of criminal justice news in the public interest.

Women Against Gun Violence — policy advocacy and public awareness resources related to preventing gun violence in Southern California, including a speakers’ bureau that offers presentations for parents, teens, school districts and policymakers.

Youth Gun Violence Prevention — a resource from the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange.

Youth Today — an independent, nationally distributed newspaper for professionals serving youth, with many articles dedicated to the topic of juvenile justice.

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Resources: Increasing Educational Opportunities for Resilient Youth

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Bokeh of the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange — a visual narrative in photographs of what it means to be young in America.

California College Pathways — a statewide partnership that provides resources and leadership to campuses and community organizations to help foster youth succeed at community colleges and four-year universities. Areas of expertise include college and career planning, financial aid, housing, campus support programs, and current laws and policies.

California Homeless Youth Project — a research and policy initiative that highlights the challenges faced by unaccompanied young people who are homeless or lack stable housing and features the voices of youth and their recommendations for policy change.

Charting the Course: Using Data to Support Foster Youth College Success, California Collage Pathways, October 2015 — a report that aggregates data across 31 campuses and demonstrates how former foster youth are faring on a common set of key indicators of access and success in community colleges and universities.

Executives’ Alliance to Expand Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color — a philanthropic network of nearly 40 national, regional and community foundations working together to invest in pathways to opportunities that enable America’s young men of color to reach their full potential in school, work and life.

John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes — a statewide organization that works to improve quality of life for foster youth, former foster youth and homeless youth through grantmaking and policy advocacy.

The Reset Foundation — an organization that has developed a replicable model that provides an alternative to incarceration for young people, with its first campus established in 2014 in the Bay Area.

Silicon Valley Children’s Fund — a nonprofit organization that invests in programs to improve the lives of the foster youth in Santa Clara County by advocating for the needs of foster youth, funding pilot programs, monitoring results, measuring success, supporting the expansion of successful programs and holding partners accountable.

We Count, California!: Lessons Learned from Efforts to Improve Youth Inclusion in California’s 2015 Point-in-Time Counts, California Homeless Youth Project, September 2015 — a report about lessons learned by the We Count, California! Initiative, which worked to increase the inclusion of youth in the 2015 point-in-time count of homeless individuals.

Youth Today — an independent, nationally distributed newspaper for professionals serving youth.

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Resources: Promoting Employment and Asset-Building Opportunities

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy — an alliance of community, labor and faith groups advancing economic, racial and social justice in the East Bay by building an economy based on good jobs and healthy communities.

Michael G. Santos Foundation — an organization that provides a video-based curriculum and resources to help individuals who are re-entering their communities after incarceration.

Swords to Plowshares — an organization that provides employment and training, housing and legal assistance to roughly 3,000 veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area each year. As well as advocacy and community education.

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Resources: Advancing Public Policy

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

African-American Civic Engagement Project: Building Power in California’s Black Communities — a grassroots movement spearheaded by California Calls to expand civic engagement among African Americans.

Assessing a Foundation’s Contribution to Public-Policy Change: A New Framework — an article published in the March 2016 issue of The Foundation Review that describes the framework used to evaluate the contribution of Cal Wellness and its grantees to public policy change over a 10-year period.

Blazing a Trail: The Fight for Right to Counsel in Detention and Beyond — a report by the National Immigration Law Center that explains why all immigrants should have a right to legal counsel and how barriers can be overcome to ensure that legal representation is available on the full range of legal issues that immigrants may face.

Brief of Amici Curiae California Business, Civic, Educational, and Religious Figures and Institutions Supporting Petitioners for U.S. Supreme Court Case No. 15-274, March 2016 — a legal document submitted by California leaders for consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court as it decides whether to uphold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents.

California Calls — a statewide alliance of grassroots, community-based organizations that engage, educate and motivate new and infrequent voters among young people, communities of color, and poor and working class neighborhoods so that California’s electorate might better reflect the state’s diverse population.

Engage San Diego — a network of civil rights, social justice, health and environmental organizations using voter engagement and organizing to work toward an electorate that is reflective of the people who live and work in the San Diego area.

Just how broad is support to #UnFreezeDAPA in US v Texas? — data on support for DACA and DAPA, as well as amicus briefs and reports presented by National Immigration Law Center.

Public Health Advocates — an organization that advocates for policies that promote health and eliminate health disparities by transforming neighborhoods into places that nurture well-being.

The Kids Aren’t Alright – But They Could Be: The Impact of DAPA on Children, USC’s Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, March 11, 2015 — a report on the impact of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents on children.

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Resources: Strengthening the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector

Sanja alajbegovic — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

African American Board Leadership Institute — an organization that strengthens nonprofit, public and private organizations through recruiting, preparing and placing African Americans on a broad range of governing boards.

Americans for Indian Opportunity — an organization that draws upon traditional indigenous philosophies to foster value-based leadership, inspire stakeholder-driven solutions and convene visionary leaders to address contemporary issues and challenges.

California Primary Care Association — an association of community clinics and health centers that provides advocacy, education and services to improve health status in its members’ communities.

Child Refugees & Migrants Coming to the United States: Resources for Philanthropy, Hispanics in Philanthropy — funding recommendations, reports, fact sheets and more to help funders respond effectively to immigrants escaping violence in Mexico and Central America.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues an organization that seeks to mobilize philanthropic resources that enhance the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities by serving as a resource, providing research and convening funders.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations — a membership organization that provides grantmakers with resources and connections to build knowledge and improve their mindsets and practices in areas that are critical to the success of nonprofit organizations.

Next Generation Leaders of Color Program, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services — an annual leadership development program for people of color that builds confidence, management competencies and the ability to manage organizational change.

Nonprofit Finance Fund — a community development financial institution that helps organizations connect money to their missions and supports innovations such as growth capital campaigns, cross-sector economic recovery initiatives and impact investing.

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