Dear Friends:

Several months ago, I announced that the Commonwealth Fund would be dedicating $15 million over the next three years — beyond our regular budget — to our new Health Equity Action Fund, for investments in activities to promote an antiracist health system. I also mentioned that the Fund was engaged in its own internal work on equity, diversity, and inclusion, and that there would soon be more to say in both of those areas.

Today, I am pleased to inform you that we are announcing a proposed agenda for the Health Equity Action Fund and presenting our Vision Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. 

First, a few words about our vision statement. The Commonwealth Fund is committed to becoming an antiracist organization. That commitment extends not only to our research agenda, our grantmaking, and our communications, but also to all aspects of our internal operations — from staffing and hiring practices to the management of our endowment. The vision statement is just the beginning. We will be following with regular updates on how we are putting it into practice.

Second, through our Health Equity Action Fund, the Commonwealth Fund is embarking on a major initiative to advance equity in U.S. health care. Our goal is to dismantle systemic racism in policy and practice and counter inequity in treatment, patient experience, and health outcomes for Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.

The Fund will pursue this goal through a diversified portfolio of activities to:

1. Reveal the culture and beliefs underlying racism in health care.
2. Dismantle the structures and policies that perpetuate this racism.
3. Ameliorate the devastating, ongoing effects of racism on the health of people of color.

You can learn more about how we will use this fund to foster an antiracist health system here.

I look forward to sharing more news about our Health Equity Action Fund and our work to further equity, diversity, and inclusion. Together, we can make progress against racism and for equity in American health care.