Each year, the program staff of the John A. Hartford Foundation attend a three-day meeting with foundations known as Grantmakers In Aging (GIA), an affinity group representing local, regional and national funders that share our interest in improving the lives of older adults.
Some funders, like the John A. Hartford Foundation, are focused on improving the health of older adults. Others focus on a diverse range of interests, including the provision of direct services, arts and aging, economic security, age-friendly communities, and workforce.
There are two main reasons why the GIA annual conference is one of the most important events of the year for me and my colleagues at the John A. Hartford Foundation:
Meeting with and learning from other aging funders. First, GIA gives us an opportunity to meet in person with the other aging funders from across the country. Much of the work we do benefits from collaboration with other funders. We learn how our missions may align, who is exploring areas we are pursuing, and plant the seeds of partnership that are critical to all of our efforts. It is also an opportunity to look at new areas, engage a new set of thought leaders, and identify potential collaborations to build upon our existing efforts to improve the care of older adults.
Sharing our learning with the philanthropic community. The GIA annual conference also provides a platform to showcase our efforts and share our experiences with the philanthropic community. John A. Hartford Foundation staff design sessions to facilitate other funders' ability to meet with leading experts, learn the outcomes of programs we fund, and help others take these ideas back to their communities.
At this year's meeting, John A Hartford Foundation staff played key roles in supporting and leading several events.
Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, funded and convened the first-ever CEO Breakfast Roundtable at GIA. This well-attended gathering was an opportunity for philanthropic leaders to meet and share ideas. John Feather, the CEO of Grantmakers In Aging, facilitated the high-level discussion on Aging and Philanthropy. As Dr. Fulmer puts it: “Convening leaders in the field of aging is a critical function of the John A. Hartford Foundation because it allows us to strategically engage with others who bring different experiences and perspectives to our shared passion for improving care of older adults."
Senior program officers Rachael Watman and Marcus Escobedo led an interactive session called "Policy AGEnda: Supporting Advocates in Health Policy." The session featured the Health and Aging Policy Fellows program and the Voices for Better Health Geriatrics Provider Collaboration project as examples of the John A. Hartford Foundation's investments in advocacy. A main message was that all funders, whether at the national, state, or local level, can find creative ways of engaging in advocacy. This can include supporting training through fellowships, or collaborations between consumer advocacy coalitions and clinicians with expertise in care of older adults. Roundtable conversations were facilitated by our partners with extensive advocacy funding experience at The SCAN Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.
I had the honor of working with Bonita Tindley of the Agua Fund to design the 'best in region' session for this year's conference, held in Washington, DC. The session, titled "Home-based Primary Care: Local Efforts Have National Impact," featured Eric DeJonge, director of Geriatrics at Medstar Washington Hospital Center, who runs one of the sites for the Independence at Home federal demonstration that addresses the needs of homebound elders through house calls. In its first year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) demonstration has been so successful in reducing unnecessary and costly hospitalizations that Dr. DeJonge reported shared savings at MedStar in excess of a million dollars. With our collaborating partners, the Gary and Mary West Foundation, participating, the session was standing room only.
Actually, the John A. Hartford Foundation’s contributions to the program began even before the conference, with a session hinged on the belief that medical care and social supports and services need to be better integrated in order for the most vulnerable elders to remain in the community. Conducted by senior program officer Nora OBrien-Suric in partnership with Erin Westphal of The SCAN Foundation, the two-hour, preconference session titled "Building Business Skills in Community Organizations: It Takes a Village" highlighted a national effort supported by multiple funders and the federal government to support community-based organizations (CBO) that are developing contracts with health care systems and insurance plans to provide evidence-based programs and case management services for frail older adults. Issues of governance, accreditation, and information technology were addressed by experts including grantee June Simmons, CEO and President, Partners in Care Foundation.
In addition to the preconference session, Nora and Erin hosted an invitational dinner with foundations interested in collaborating with the John A. Hartford and SCAN Foundations, along with the Administration for Community Living, in the national effort to strengthen CBOs as they transform from solely grants-based agencies to a more entrepreneurial focus.
This year’s conference also marked the end of former John A. Hartford Foundation Program Director Chris Langston’s three-year term as GIA Board Chair. He was given a fond farewell and thanks for his contributions to GIA’s important support for aging-related philanthropy.
The Grantmakers In Aging gathering was a treasure trove of activity, as it is each time we attend. We met with diverse funders, we shared our efforts, and we learned from others. It was an exceptional conference. Special thanks to GIA CEO John Feather and team for putting together a most productive and enjoyable meeting. We already can’t wait for next year!