Giving InSight
A Blog for and about Funders Focused on Health and the Environment
Over the past several years, the Environment & Health Program at The Heinz Endowments has prioritized work to help the Pittsburgh region become truly livable. But it is hard to imagine how a city with dirty air, a notably toxic built environment, safe drinking water challenges, and other environmental health issues is most livable. In response, the Endowments has supported numerous efforts to develop low-cost technologies and data visualization platforms that reveal environmental conditions and can be used by the general public, educators, advocacy groups, and policymakers.
read the full post 
March 31, 2017 by Matt James
Some would say that the climate change and health connection is having its “moment.” It could not have arrived too soon. Environmental funders have, to a large extent, provided the primary philanthropic support for fighting climate change. That may be changing, though—climate change is the existential threat of our time, and health philanthropists are starting to realize that climate change has the ability to overwhelm the substantial progress we have made in improving human health and extending longevity.
read the full post 
Thank you and we’ll miss you, Karla! This month, the HEFN staff and members bid farewell to Karla Fortunato, who just left HEFN’s staff to become the next President of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. For the past thirteen years, Karla was an invaluable part of the HEFN staff team, providing leadership as the network grew in members and staff, expanded its issues of focus, and evolved towards a new strategic direction.
read the full post 
February 1, 2017 by Farhad Ebrahimi
I’m obsessed with analogies. I feel like I can’t claim to understand a given issue unless I can describe it effectively using an analogy that’s both intuitive and provocative (and hopefully positively delightful to boot). I’m also obsessed with science fiction. And so, inspired by Terry Marshall’s excellent piece on what progressives can learn from mixed martial arts and game theory, I thought I’d share a science fiction analogy that I’ve found to be quite useful when discussing the dynamics of “movement moments,” i.e. moments of exponentially increased political activity or re-alignment.
read the full post 
January 27, 2017 by Grant Oliphant
Lately I have found myself stupefied into virtual silence. And I know, from speaking with many colleagues and many of you reading this, that I am not alone.
read the full post Pages
Who We Are
Development and Operations Director
Kojo Spencer has more than two decades of development experience specializing in proposal writing, grants and relationship management, and strategic development for national, regional and community-based organizations.