In a recent article, Harvard Business Review stated that philanthropy’s new agenda lies in creating value. We are proud to say that The Alliance for Health Equity, formerly the Brandywine Health Foundation, has evolved over the past 20 years and is uniquely suited to meet this objective. The authors noted that a charitable foundation must bring in enough funding to cover administrative costs, as well as the resources necessary to perform and realize its philanthropic purpose. At The Alliance for Health Equity, we fundamentally believe that all resources brought in must align with our values, hence giving us the means to carry out our purpose “mission.” Of course, this is no easy feat and does not happen overnight. They went on to explain that, “The permanence of a foundation’s asset base means that it has an appropriately long time horizon in which to tackle social issues and develop expertise in its field.” Over time, foundations can increase the social impact of their work and compensate for their costs with a commitment to creating value; that’s why we are The Alliance for Health Equity.
In the Greater Coatesville area, with some of Chester County’s poorest neighborhoods, our children, seniors, adults, and youth lack the quality healthcare, mental health, behavioral health, and social support services that they need. Whether through scholarships or grants to assist others, including smaller foundations working towards a common goal, or through boots-on-the-ground efforts in the community, The Alliance for Health Equity has spent the last two decades magnifying the value of charitable donations to improve equity through health and social programs, and services for our neighbors, with an eye towards those most vulnerable.
The field of philanthropy has changed, and will continue to change, especially in regard to its impact on fundraising and how it drives societal value. In response, philanthropic organizations must also evolve to meet the needs of those they serve. In our recent rebrand announcement, The Alliance for Health Equity has redefined its value by taking into consideration the ongoing inequities and inequality in our communities that must be addressed differently.
We aspire to maintain our vision of a thriving, inclusive and healthy community for all, and we know that our evolution as a philanthropic organization must meet the changing needs of the community we serve. Our name change and recent rebranding better reflects and communicates the work needed, now and into the future, to tackle complex societal problems and address the root cause of generational poverty and health disparities. The past year has demonstrated the need to do philanthropy differently, and the help of current and new donors is desperately needed to continue providing the resources required for enacting substantive change in Greater Coatesville — and beyond.
Shortening The Path To Equity and Equality
We must shift fundraising strategies to further build and diversify our donor’s role. The Alliance for Health Equity relies on the generosity of donors to sustain and implement strategic initiatives that help with emergent and long-term community challenges. Raising public awareness of how we carry out our mission and why it is so important is crucial, as the path to prosperity and health equity continues to stretch farther away for some than others.
To become a donor, or to learn more about The Alliance for Health Equity and our guiding principles, we invite you to visit our website today. And if you are already a donor, as always, we thank you for your ongoing support.
The Alliance for Health Equity (formerly Brandywine Health Foundation) is a philanthropic organization striving to advance a more equitable, resilient and healthy community for all residents of the Greater Coatesville area. We pursue our mission by providing grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students that address health and economic disparities and social justice. We also build partnership programs and give voice to those often left out of community solution building to improve the overall health of their communities. 100% of contributions go directly to those in need.