National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) is an association of public health organizations, research centers, and affiliated organizations. NNPHI has a core membership of more than 40 state-level public health institutes that represent a total of $2.2 billion in combined funding. The organization conducts research, hosts conferences, and shares resources pertaining to public health research and public-health policies such as tobacco control and nutrition. The NNPHI bills itself as the “go-to” source on best practices regarding population health and the social determinants of health. 1
National Network of Public Health Institutes was formed in 2001 as a forum for public health institutes, which are nonprofit organizations that receive a mix of taxpayer and private funding and that lead various public health campaigns. The organization was formed share resources so that state-level public health institutes could coordinate public health campaigns. 2
The organization bills itself as a resource regarding the social determinants of health, which are described as factors in public health that are attributed to race and/or socioeconomic background. The group provides technical assistance to member organizations as well as research, fundraising, program development, and other advisory services. 1
Activities
National Network of Public Health Institutes hosts multiple annual conferences and provides various resources and research so that state and regional public health organizations can coordinate activities and public health campaigns. The organization’s research focuses include behavioral health, chronic disease, healthy eating, obesity prevention, tobacco control, and “health equity.” 3
NNPHI has placed an increased focus on “health equity” and “systemic racism.” Topics of presentations and panels at the NNPHI’s 2022 annual meeting included promoting policies creating “health equity zones,” and a “Public Health Learning Agenda for Systems Change.” 4
One breakout session at the NNPHI 2022 meeting centered around the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) providing funding to regional public health training centers to develop a “Racial Justice Competency Model for Public Health Professionals.” The description of the event stated that “Structural racism has impacted health outcomes and opportunities for generations. It is imperative for state and local health departments to understand their role in combating racial injustice to best provide essential public health services to the communities they serve.” 4
Funding
National Network of Public Health Institutes receives a mix of funding from government grants and private funding. In 2020, for example, NNPHI received a $300,000 grant for its National Umbrella Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health to “address the lack of resources and data for identifying health disparities in minority populations.” 5
The organization’s “Modular Guide for Developing and Thriving as a Public Health Institute” was created with funding from the left-of-center Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 6
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
Total Grant Value:$43,522,335
Number of Grants:77
Number of Funders:14
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:
Amount
Year
Funder
Subject
$3,500,000
2020
Carequest Foundation Inc
To support the launch and implementation of Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) as a fully independent and sustainable nonprofit organization
$2,673,059
2021
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
The purpose of this grant is to support the financial and programmatic sustainability of the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) as it transitions to a fully independent nonprofit organization.
$726,628
2020
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
To Improve Oral Health
$500,000
2022
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
This proposal is for the National Network of Public Health Institutes to support the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) in finalizing the necessary steps towards organizational independence, implementing a newly established fund development strategy, and advancing local, state, and federal oral health policy through engagement of the national OPEN network.
$500,000
2022
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
This proposal is for the National Network of Public Health Institutes to support the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) in finalizing the necessary steps towards organizational independence, implementing a newly established fund development strategy, and advancing local, state, and federal oral health policy through engagement of the national OPEN network.
$500,000
2022
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
This proposal is for the National Network of Public Health Institutes to support the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) in finalizing the necessary steps towards organizational independence, implementing a newly established fund development strategy, and advancing local, state, and federal oral health policy through engagement of the national OPEN network.
$500,000
2022
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
This proposal is for the National Network of Public Health Institutes to support the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) in finalizing the necessary steps towards organizational independence, implementing a newly established fund development strategy, and advancing local, state, and federal oral health policy through engagement of the national OPEN network.
To enable the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) to provide technical assistance prior to, during and after a December convening held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to create a modern system of public health to meet the modern demands of today’s health threats, and to provide support for public health workers in Louisiana as part of the Hurricane Ida relief effort.
To conduct a rapid environmental scan of the US public health infrastructure (i.E. Needs, assets and challenges), and convene a technical expert panel to inform future strategic investments of philanthropy.
