Racial Justice Coalition Funded Through
RWJF Grant
Last year, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation was the recipient of a $1 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) as fiscal sponsor to support a Racial Justice Coalition through an initiative to advance health and racial equity. Grants for this coalition work were awarded to The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI), Virginia Health Catalyst and Voices for Virginia’s Children. A grant was also awarded to YMCA of Greater Richmond to support direct services that connect underserved community members with resources through its Help1RVA system and social needs navigation to meet essential needs and address social determinants of health.

Over the past year, we deployed another portion of the RWJF funds to support the formation of a racial and economic justice coalition called Collective Work led by TCI. The purpose of Collective Work is to bring together and support grassroots organizations, with the goal of shifting power to impacted communities so that they may effectively advocate for the change they would like to see.
“TCI is committed to ensuring the inclusion of those directly impacted in shaping our policy agenda. We know the people closest to the problem are closest to the solution. But often, community leaders and grassroots organizations are so busy doing direct service work on the ground, they don’t have the capacity to be part of coalitions and group work. What I like about the RWJF grant from RMHF is that we are able to provide general operating support and capacity building support to members of the coalition, creating space for their participation in Collective Work and for them to become agents of change on a commonwealth level,” said Amy Wentz, Director of Outreach and Engagement at TCI.

She continued, “Collective Work extends beyond legislation; it's about fostering growth and empowering these leaders and their organizations. By creating opportunities for collaboration, civic engagement, and strategic partnerships, we tap into these invaluable perspectives and unlock a myriad of opportunities to uplift our communities and make a lasting impact on Virginia’s future."
The following organizations are members of Collective Work and are the recipients of the remaining RWJF grant funds:
Continuing our Impact Investing Journey by Supporting HumanKind Lending
RMHF is continuing our Impact Investing journey of six years through investments in HumanKind Lending (HK Lending), an emerging CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution). HumanKind Lending acts as the bank for all vehicle loans made through HumanKind’s Ways to Work program, which offers financial education and access to affordable, character-based vehicle loans for working individuals. Both RMHF and the PATH Foundation, in Warrenton, Virginia, have invested in HumanKind Lending in order to scale the Ways to Work program and expand its geographic footprint. 
“The impact of this work isn't easily put into words and isn't just numbers. The impact is best seen in the lives of the people we have the privilege to walk with every day. Our clients consistently share how transformational car ownership is to their daily lives and how the financial coaching and support they receive enables them to overcome challenges and improve their wellbeing.”

~Stan Southworth, CEO of HumanKind Lending and President & CEO of HumanKind
Impact Investing furthers RMHF’s mission of fostering an equitable and healthy Richmond region, by allowing us to make choices about our investment portfolio in alignment with our mission. This partnership investment will assist in the expansion of lending capacity and impact of the Ways to Work program, helping to improve employment, increase income, and foster financial literacy in our region.
VCU Needs Assessment Study to Increase Access to Culturally Appropriate Behavioral Services for Spanish-Speaking Communities
In the Richmond region alone, the Latinx/o population has increased by 143% within the last decade. This exponential growth has drawn attention to the mental health needs of that population in Virginia, especially since these community members have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic but tend to underutilize behavioral health services. Exacerbating the problem is that culturally appropriate behavioral healthcare services in the Richmond region for Latino or immigrant communities are limited.

Recognizing the need for increased availability and accessibility of culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral healthcare and to promote health equity for Latinxs/o people in the Richmond region, Virginia Commonwealth University is undertaking a needs assessment study to gain a greater understanding of the mental health needs of these community members through a $75,000 grant awarded by RMHF. Results from the needs assessment will allow for future follow-up studies to increase culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health services for Spanish-speaking communities.
Partners to Know
Each newsletter we highlight one or two of our 2023 grantee partners, with the aspiration that you will learn more about the great work happening in our community. 
Health Brigade 
RMHF awarded Health Brigade with a general operating support grant. Health Brigade’s mission is to provide exceptional health services to those least served in a caring and non-judgmental environment. They pride themselves on being known as a safe place to seek care for those who need it the most and are committed to serving the most marginalized populations in the community–not only those with few resources, but also those most oppressed and stigmatized. 
Neighborhood Resource Center
RMHF awarded Neighborhood Resource Center with an Opportunity Investment grant to work in partnership with RIP Medical Debt to reduce the medical debt of community residents in central Virginia. Neighborhood Resource Center is an educational and cultural center fostering personal growth and community change in Greater Fulton, an under-resourced community in Richmond’s East End. Formed in March 2002, their mission is to strengthen families by building relationships, sharing resources, and developing skills to enhance lives.
Trustee Spotlight
We are so proud that two members of our Board of Trustees were recognized at the Outstanding Women Awards, hosted by YWCA Richmond, where they celebrated nine of Richmond's pioneers and women of influence. Tanya Gonzalez was recognized for her work in Nonprofit Management and Rudene Mercer Haynes was recognized for her Volunteerism. Congratulations to you both! 
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