Health Resources in Action

Hria's grantmaking staff work with private individuals, bank trusts, foundations, hospitals, and government agencies to design customized grant programs that accelerate life science discoveries and advance community Health. Each year, more than 100 internationally recognized research scientists and physicians from across the united states and europe serve on the scientific review committees and provide critical and unbiased evaluations of all applications and research progress reports. Additionally, over 75 Health experts utilize their subject matter expertise to provide unbiased reviews of community Health applications. Through life sciences consulting services, hria develops reports that can be tailored for either scientific or lay audiences for clients that wish to learn more about a specific disease or field of biomedical research. Hria's community Health grantmaking program provides consultation and supports the disbursement of grant funds by government agencies, healthcare institutions, and philanthropy to advance community Health and equity through investments in evidence-based and innovative strategies. Hria staff review, evaluate, and summarize relevant scientific and philanthropic literature; assess the current funding landscape; identify evidence-based approaches and best practices; engage leaders in the field of interest to inform grantmaking decisions; develop streamlined grantmaking processes that engage diverse stakeholders; and create monitoring and reporting structures that demonstrate impact of grant awards. The grantmaking program accounted for 28% of total program expenditures for the year ended june 30, 2023.

Hria's public Health services (phs) team provides technical implementation services, including statewide helplines for substance use and problem gambling, as well as the distribution of Health promotion and harm reduction materials. Services within public Health services include the clearinghouse which distributes millions of units of public safety, Health, and harm reduction materials to providers and communities each year. Public Health services also leads and operates a portfolio of six substance use and problem gambling helplines across four states: Massachusetts substance use helpline, Massachusetts problem gambling helpline, Illinois helpline for opioids and other substances, Illinois problem gambling helpline, Vermont helplink, and Oregon behavioral Health resource network helpline

Hria's capacity building assistance staff collaborate with individuals, organizations, and communities to build individual skills and organizational infrastructure to improve public Health and achieve Health and racial equity. The capacity building assistance staff offer a range of services, including training, technical assistance, technical services, and information dissemination. Training includes interactive in-person and web-based skill-building. Technical assistance includes expert consultation and coaching on how to develop operational, managerial, technological, programmatic, or administrative systems. Technical services include the direct provision of professional services or the implementation of tasks to support operational, managerial, technological, programmatic, or administrative systems. Information dissemination (or communication) includes the collection, packaging, and sharing of evidence-based information, tools, Resources, and best practices. Hria staff are skilled at working with and across multiple sectors and engaging nontraditional partners to build the capacity of coalitions, organizations, communities, and the public Health workforce, including youth, regional planners, business leaders, faith-based communities, public safety, food systems, and economic and community development agencies. The capacity building assistance program accounted for approximately 24% of total program expenditures for the year ended june 30, 2023.

Hria's partnerships program provides fiscal sponsorship and other support to advance the work of several initiatives. Hria's approach to fiscal sponsorship is synergistic and generative, wherein we and our fiscally sponsored programs mutually benefit from our collaborative activities and a shared vision of Health and racial equity. With the programmatic oversight of independent multi-disciplinary advisory boards, these organizations and the staff work with hria to determine the appropriate level of engagement and collaboration. Hria's current roster of fiscally sponsored programs includes:machw, Massachusetts association of community Health workersnachw, national association of community Health workersthe havi, the Health alliance for violence interventionmcsic, Massachusetts coalition for serious illness carecplan, collaborative parent leadership Action networkthe positive deviance initiativein addition to partnerships, hria also had Health & racial equity programs as well as research and evaluation programs during the year ending june 30, 2023.