The Colorado Health Foundation seeks to support an equitable and representative advocacy ecosystem to advance health and health equity in Colorado. We believe that to achieve lasting policy change advancing the interests of communities that historically have had less power and privilege, power must shift within the policymaking landscape — and necessarily within the advocacy ecosystem itself — to listen to and value the voices of these communities. Supporting shifts within the advocacy ecosystem requires understanding what the ecosystem looks like at this point in time, including whose voices are being heard, where power lies, and what strengths and gaps exist in terms of skills and partnerships.
To this end, Innovation Network conducted a survey of advocacy organizations throughout Colorado in the Fall of 2019 to begin to build out an information base about the health equity advocacy ecosystem, including: who advocates seek to serve and/or represent, who is represented and informs decisions within organizations, how advocates do their work, and what partnerships look like within the network. The purpose of this effort is to help the Foundation better support diverse advocates, as well as to share information back to advocates and other funders about this shared landscape.
Additional Resources:
- Full Report: 2019 Colorado's Health Equity Advocacy Ecosystem Survey Report
- Grantee Advocacy Convening Webinar Recording (7/15/20)
- Grantee Advocacy Convening Presentation Slides (7/15/20)
- VIDEO: This series of short recordings will share the results of the 2019 Health Equity Advocacy Ecosystem Survey, in partnership with Innovation Network. The videos share brief findings from the survey, as well as pose questions to start thinking about what these finding may mean for your organization.
- Feedback Form: We want to hear from you! Respond to a short feedback form to share your perspective, questions and/or ways that the Foundation can better support your work and the advocacy ecosystem in Colorado.