The Greater Washington Community Foundation (GWCF) runs a “Health Equity” program that appears to racially discriminate against applicants in its grant-making process, according to the medical watchdog group Do No Harm.
The GWCF says its “Health Equity Fund” prioritizes grants to “BIPOC-led organizations” in order to achieve “equitable health outcomes for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and other marginalized populations in Washington, DC.” Applicants are required to submit a “letter of intent” that lists demographics such as race, gender and ethnic background of board members from partner organizations, according to an informational webinar posted online in October 2023. (RELATED: Medical Internship Program Under Fire For Rejecting Anyone Who Doesn’t ‘Identify’ As Black)
“It appears the Greater Washington Community Foundation is more interested in racial discrimination than improving people’s lives,” Laura Morgan, senior director of programs at Do No Harm, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The fact that recipients must be members of certain races reveals that this initiative is less about improving overall health outcomes and more about advancing the [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] agenda through targeted wealth distribution. If the Greater Washington Community Foundation were truly concerned about improving health outcomes among Washington residents, they would invest in tangible healthcare solutions over ideological projects.”
The grants are issued for projects that focus on implementing “economic mobility models that increase strategic economic participation and build community wealth for people and communities with the greatest economic and health disparities.” The projects must also address the “root cause” of the subject of their research while also ensuring that “no harm is done” to the community when funding ends by adopting “sustainability” plans.
The total amount available for the fund is $55 million, with payouts starting in September 2022 and ending in March 2026, according to the Fund’s FAQ. The GWCF did not specify a grant floor or cap for applicants.
The group funds various left-wing nonprofits, including the American Civil Liberties Union, NARAL Pro-Choice America, now known as Reproductive Freedom for All, and the Brennan Center for Justice, according to Influence Watch.
.@communityfndn ‘s Health Equity Fund is excited to partner w/ @Wacif & @cnhed to launch Sustainable DC – a multi-year project designed to help BIPOC and women-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs harness the power of our region’s green economy.https://t.co/Rh47Mvybxt
— Greater Washington Community Foundation (@communityfndn) July 31, 2024
The GWCF awarded $8.7 million to two projects in July through the equity fund. One grant helps “BIPOC and women-owned small businesses grow and build resilience while combating climate change,” and the other offers education and job training to 2,500 adult students who “are asset-limited, income-constrained, and also employed.”
After one year, 41% of grants were awarded to “black-led organizations” and 17% were given to “latino/x-led organization,” according to GWCF’s website. Projects included “cash transfer initiatives, housing rehabilitation projects, wealth creation programs, and other innovative projects.”
The GWCF was founded in 1973 with the mission to promote “racially equitable, just, and thriving communities,” according to its website. It has invested a total of $1.7 billion into its cause and possesses over $477 million in assets, according to 2022 IRS filings.
“The Health Equity Fund represents an important opportunity to advance DC HOPE—health, opportunity, prosperity, and equity,” DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in an October 2022 press release. “We know that by addressing the social determinants of health, we can attack disparities in health outcomes, empower families, and transform communities.”
The GWCF did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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