Civic Health

Civic Health is a multi-year initiative that supports Black, Indigenous and communities of color to build political power and contribute to a democracy that reflects and serves everyone in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Please note: Civic Health is not accepting grant applications at this time. Please sign up for our email newsletter to receive updates on our work, including new grant opportunities.

Why Civic Health?

Northwest Health Foundation believes that a healthy democracy is essential for thriving communities. 

Health stems from all aspects of our lives: education, economic opportunity, a sound environment, a connected community and loving family and friends. And it is largely public policy that determines how we advance and protect many of these aspects of health. From the ballot box to legislative sessions, this requires bold leadership, robust participation, and equitable representation. 

For too long, our society has prevented BIPOC communities from fully participating in our democracy. This weakens not only the political power of BIPOC communities, but also their health and well-being.

By resourcing and supporting BIPOC-led 501(c)(4) organizations in Oregon and SW Washington, Civic Health creates opportunities for these communities to lead electoral campaigns, engage voters year-round, build the infrastructure needed to drive lasting change, and improve health for everyone in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Civic Health’s Strategy:

• Boldly resource and support 501(c)(4) organizations led by Black people, Indigenous people and other people of color (BIPOC)

• Build independent political power and infrastructure using Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE)

• Develop common understanding and approaches to building power

• Connect urban and rural communities across Oregon and Southwest Washington

• Appoint leaders, elect candidates and move important policies

Civic Health’s Goals:

• BIPOC communities with the skills, infrastructure and mindset to elect bold leaders and pass transformative policies

• Leaders and talent rooted in, and supportive of, BIPOC communities

• A vibrant democratic culture that values, centers and support BIPOC people

The ABCDs of Civic Health

Civic Health is Northwest Health Foundation’s largest initiative and is where we invest the majority of our grantmaking resources. Our Civic Health initiative currently includes the following four programs.

Advance BIPOC Power

Advance grants provide essential resources for BIPOC-led 501(c)4 organizations across Oregon and SW Washington to build political power through electoral organizing and integrated voter engagement. These general support grants empower organizations to support candidates who champion their priorities, run ballot measure campaigns that improve the lives of community members, and engage voters—especially those who have historically been excluded and ignored by traditional political campaigns—to ensure they have a voice in shaping the policies that most affect their lives.

Build Shared Infrastructure

Civic Health’s Build program supports BIPOC-led 501(c)4 organizations across Oregon and SW Washington to explore and develop shared infrastructure as a means to building collective political power. This program brings organizations together to learn, strategize, and plan for shared resources, back-end operations, campaign or field infrastructure, and/or independent revenue generation. Participants will also take part in field trips to explore different models of shared infrastructure in action. By collaborating on these critical resources, organizations can maximize their collective impact and overcome the resource challenges that often limit their ability to scale.

Cultivate C4 Capacity

The Cultivate program provides opportunities for training, coaching and technical support to strengthen skills and increase the number of people prepared to build independent political power. This program is designed to expand the capacity of individuals and organizations by providing support in critical areas such as finance, compliance, integrated voter engagement, navigating generative conflict, community organizing, leadership development, running field campaigns and more. By equipping more people with these essential skills, Cultivate is building a stronger network of leaders and organizations ready to drive meaningful, long-term political change.

Deliver an Effective Ecosystem

Through the Deliver program, Northwest Health Foundation funds organizations and programs outside of Civic Health that bolster an effective ecosystem for our Civic Health grantees. For example, infrastructure organizations and sector-wide learning initiatives.

History of Civic Health

Since 2020, Civic Health has resourced BIPOC-led 501(c)(4)s and an effective power-building ecosystem. 

From 2021-2024, the Civic Health C4 Power Program supported a cohort of BIPOC-led 501(c)(4)s with general support, infrastructure development grants, coaching and technical assistance, opportunities for peer-to-peer exchanges, movement building, data access, experimentation and evaluation. 

More about the Civic Health c4 Power Program:

• The Origins of the Civic Health C4 Power Program

• What We Learned from the C4 Power Program

In 2024, we committed to continue the Civic Health initiative through 2028 and beyond.