Engaging funders as partners in promoting healthy land use

Introduction: Foundations have long supported communities to define needs, engage policymakers, and develop leadership. Promoting healthy land use (spaces for physical activity and healthy food production/purchase) requires these same activities. Framing healthy land use as a community improvement strategy for low-income areas can help create partnerships with funders, even if health or land use are not their priority issues.

Approach: In 2013, Los Angeles foundations convened to explore roles for funders in supporting healthy land use.

Results: In addition to direct funding to create healthy spaces, LA foundations identified important roles they can play to promote healthy land use:

• Communicate with policymakers about policies that obstruct healthy land use.

• Support best practice documentation; disseminate successes that serve as pilots other municipalities could replicate.

• Build capacity of residents to advocate and become decision makers for healthy land use.

• Connect grassroots organizing efforts with land use policy improvement efforts.

• Facilitate communication/collaboration among stakeholders to nurture a strong voice and consistent messages.

Discussion: Funders can raise the visibility of healthy land use with community leaders and policy makers to facilitate systems change, as well as successfully engage their philanthropic peers through education on the intersection of healthy land use and other philanthropic priorities. Healthy land use is a uniquely positioned strategy that simultaneously addresses a variety of philanthropic interests (health, economic development, civic engagement , environmental sustainability). Partnership with funders to promote healthy land use leverages relationships, existing programs, and resources to maximize impact.