Expanding Access & Creating Opportunity
The Fund has been a major supporter of LISC's work revitalizing neighbohoods in the heart of Jacksonville. (Ingrid Damiani)
The Challenge: Across communities, many people struggle to gain access to the essentials of healthy, productive living: financial assets, health care, quality education and job preparation, affordable housing and strong and safe communities. The Fund seeks to help those communities and people that were important to Mrs. duPont increase access to these critical resources.
Strategies: The Fund has used an array of strategies, including: multi-faceted, place-based investments; partnerships between eligible organizations and other community entities; community convenings; advocacy around public policy and policymaker education; community organizing; and direct investment in strategic initiatives.
Examples:
From 2006-2008, the Fund invested in a broad effort to educate Florida lawmakers about the impact of the State’s Medicaid Reform pilot program. The foundation for the effort was a series of briefing papers prepared by the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University. Copies of these reports may be found in the Library under Topics: Medicaid Reform In Florida.
As the economic recession unfolded in 2008, the Fund launched a expansive initiative to support social safety net organizations in the Fund’s core communities. To learn about the work, read Notes from the Field Patching the Safety Net (pdf).
Across multiple communities, the Fund has worked to increase access to health care for those in marginalized communities. Read about those efforts in Notes from the Field Health Care for Marginalized Populations (pdf).