We advance policy advocacy in California by partnering with community-rooted organizations, power-building movements, funders, and public agencies to shape more democratic systems for health, safety, and wellbeing. Grounded in a long-term systems perspective and deep relationships with communities most impacted by inequities, this work focuses on changing the structural conditions that shape outcomes—embedding health equity and racial justice in policy, implementation, and public investments.

Our approach centers an affirmative, community-centered policy agenda: a proactive vision that grows, shifts, and shares power and resources while sustaining momentum in complex policy environments. We work to connect local organizing with statewide advocacy, strengthen alignment among partners, and advance structural solutions that redress past harms and create pathways toward an equitable future.

Learn more about our policy advocacy in California.

Advancing Equitable Policy Through Collaboration and Power Building

We collaborate with local power-building organizations, statewide advocates, and governmental partners to advance policies that support community conditions and expand equitable access to resources that contribute to health, safety, and wellbeing and expand equitable access to resources. This includes protecting and strengthening federal and state programs that direct funding to communities closest to the issues; partnering to develop community-driven investment models; and advancing public revenue strategies that support safe, healthy, and thriving neighborhoods.

A core focus of this work is addressing systemic barriers to health equity and racial justice. We partner with advocates and government leaders to embed equity into state-level procedures, budgeting, and decision-making processes—drawing on dual-lens frameworks that integrate health equity and racial justice into policy design and implementation.

Leading and Supporting Statewide Coalitions

Coalition work is central to how we advance policy change at scale. We staff and support the California Funders Workgroup on Prevention and Equity, aligning philanthropic strategy with statewide policy goals. We also contribute to cross-sector coalitions focused on racial equity, housing justice, climate and environmental justice, and public health funding—strengthening coordination across movements and issue areas. In addition, we participate in statewide advisory bodies that shape policy and implementation across California’s public systems. Through these roles, we bring prevention-oriented, community-centered perspectives into decision-making spaces—supporting policies that more effectively resource communities and address root causes of inequity.

Learn more about these efforts: Catalyzing policy and systems change for a healthy, equitable, and just California and Advancing prevention, community safety, and health equity in California.

Rebuilding California’s Public Health Ecosystem

Across this work, we advocate for rebuilding California’s public health ecosystem to fully support upstream prevention and community-led solutions. This includes expanding public health infrastructure beyond government alone; strengthening partnerships with community-based organizations; improving data practices; and advancing policies that invest in the physical, social, and economic conditions communities need to thrive.

Learn more about these efforts: Aligning public funding and state and local systems for a just recovery in California and California COVID-19 Consortium