Our grant partners are critical to transforming health and reducing health disparities. To maximize our potential, the bi3 team has been practicing and growing in trust-based philanthropy, an approach that shifts the power dynamic between funder and grantee and builds relationships grounded in mutual accountability, transparency and trust. bi3 seeks to demonstrate humility and collaboration in what we do and how we show up in all aspects of our work.
bi3 is listening before taking action. This month we’re excited to share feedback and insights from our grant partners on how bi3 can be an even stronger partner. In addition, bi3 partnered with HealthPath and Interact for Health to issue a survey completed by local nonprofits. We are responding to one of their identified needs by launching the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative, for which we are excited to announce our first cohort of grantees.
We also appreciate several of our Board members and partners who shared their experiences and journeys working with bi3 as a trust-based philanthropist.
bi3 remains committed to building transparency and trusted partnerships, asking questions to identify new opportunities, and building upon all the lessons we learn. Together, we are leading to a day where every person has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible; when race, ethnicity and zip code no longer predict a person’s health or how long they will live.
Jill Miller
President, Bethesda Inc.
bi3 UPDATES
Data for Equity Funding Collaborative announces grantees; seeks applications for external evaluator
The Data for Equity Funding Collaborative—a partnership among bi3, HealthPath and Interact for Health—announced $250,000 in funding to 10 Greater Cincinnati nonprofit organizations.
Each organization will receive $25,000 to develop its capacity to use data to build equitable approaches to data and evaluation, as well as ongoing technical assistance, training and shared learning opportunities. When data accurately captures the experiences of all people, it can shed light on racial, socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health outcomes and their underlying inequities, root causes and histories.
See the full list of grantees.
Request for Applications
To support this new initiative, the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative is seeking applications for an experienced external evaluator.
The selected evaluator will:
- Design and implement an evaluation that will document the process, impact and lessons learned of the grant initiative
- Provide technical assistance to the grantees, help facilitate connections between similar projects and advise the funding collaborative on resources and supports for grantees
- Share findings and lessons learned to strengthen practice and to inform the community and broader field of philanthropy
Applications are due by 5 p.m. EST Friday, January 13, 2023.
Grantees share feedback and identify opportunities for bi3
bi3 practices Trust-Based Philanthropy, an equitable approach to grantmaking that includes the principle of soliciting and acting on feedback. As part of these efforts, bi3 commissioned a series of focus groups to both evaluate what we are doing well and identify opportunities for improvement.
Grantees shared that bi3 has an authentic, relational approach to funding. Our partners used words like transparent, innovative, supportive, responsive and approachable to describe bi3.
Participants also identified opportunities for bi3 to improve its practices and further lean into its trust-based approach to grantmaking. bi3 has taken these suggestions to heart and is committed to acting upon them.
bi3 Board members and grantees share Trust-Based Philanthropy perspectives
Our commitment to Trust-Based Philanthropy allows us to build trusted relationships with our funded partners grounded in power-sharing, transparency, mutual accountability and continuous learning.
It not only makes bi3 a more effective funder, but it also fuels our ability to collectively achieve our mission of transforming health for all people in Greater Cincinnati.
Ultimately, it benefits both the funder and grant partner. Dr. Robert Collins, Bethesda Inc. Board of Trustees Chair; Ellen Katz, Board member and former Chair; and Kristin Shrimplin, President & CEO of bi3 grantee partner Women Helping Women, shared their experience with bi3 and our trust-based approach.
For more updates on the work of bi3 and our funded partners, be sure to follow us on social media!
