Episcopal Health Foundation

06/04/2026

Public data can be one of the most powerful tools for improving health, but only if you know how to find it, understand it, and use it.

That's why EHF is partnering with Pivot Data Design to offer a free webinar on June 25 that's focused on helping nonprofits, community organizations, researchers, and local leaders make better use of public data.

Whether you're identifying community needs, supporting grant applications, tracking outcomes, or informing local decision making, the session will provide practical tools you can put to work right away.

The webinar is part of a broader series designed to help organizations strengthen their ability to use data to improve health in the communities they serve.

Finding and Using Public Data to Support Your Mission
Wednesday, June 25
1:00–2:30 p.m. CT

Learn more and register: https://www.episcopalhealth.org/enews/access-free-webinars-to-strengthen-your-work-with-public-data/

EHF is partnering with Pivot Data Design to offer two webinars for nonprofits, congregations, and community partners.

06/03/2026

Improving maternal health takes more than good intentions. It takes collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to learning what works.

The North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator (MHA) is bringing together health care providers, community organizations, researchers, and funders to reduce severe obstetric complications and improve birth outcomes across North Texas.

Want to learn more about how the MHA works?

Join the upcoming Maternal Health Accelerator 101 Town Hall on June 9 from 3-4 p.m. for an overview of the initiative, its goals, governance structure, and how partners are using data to track progress and drive improvement.

JOIN THE JUNE 9 ZOOM SESSION: https://tcu.zoom.us/j/92780818368?pwd=t5h5gDupp32sFUyyViIJYyb7O6NUHU.1

Maternal health is one of EHF's Priorities for Change because every mother deserves the opportunity for a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience.

Learn more about the North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator: https://www.episcopalhealth.org/enews/episcopal-health-foundation-helps-launch-innovative-north-texas-effort-to-tackle-maternal-health-crisis-and-improve-birth-outcomes/

EHF’s investment in the Maternal Health Accelerator project was strengthened by a transformational gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

06/02/2026

Texas already has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the country. New research shows the situation is getting worse for the state's youngest children.

According to a new report from the Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families, more than 10% of Texas children under age 6 were uninsured in 2024, the highest rate in the nation. Texas also accounted for a significant share of the national increase in uninsured young children.

The findings come as Texas continues to feel the effects of Medicaid unwinding that included the process of restarting eligibility reviews after COVID-era continuous coverage protections ended. Many children lost health insurance because of paperwork issues, missed notices, or administrative barriers, NOT because they were no longer eligible for coverage.

When children lose health insurance, they are more likely to miss routine checkups, preventive care, and early treatment that can help identify health concerns before they become more serious.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/healthcare/2026/06/02/553416/texas-kids-uninsured-research-health-insurance-children/

A new report shows Texas leading the country in its rate of uninsured children under 6.

05/29/2026

The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country in the world. Yet Americans continue to experience some of the highest rates of premature death, significant disparities in maternal health, and persistent gaps in health outcomes between communities just miles apart.

A new report from The Commonwealth Fund is another reminder that improving health is about more than medical care alone. Access to affordable care matters, but so do the conditions that shape health long before someone walks into a doctor's office. Where people live, what food they can afford, whether they have reliable transportation, stable housing, health insurance coverage, and opportunities to thrive all influence health outcomes.

That's why EHF focuses on changing systems and removing barriers that affect HEALTH, not just health care. If we want different health outcomes, we have to broaden the conversation about what creates health in the first place.

See the new report: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2026/may/us-health-care-global-perspective-2026

This cross-national comparison of health care systems assesses U.S. health spending, outcomes, status, and service use relative to 18 other high-income countries.

05/27/2026

EHF's A Tale of Two ZIP Codes video is featured in a new Public News Service story looking at how neighborhood conditions influence health.

The story explains the idea behind the video: health outcomes are shaped by much more than medical care. Access to healthy food, transportation, safe places to be active, and other everyday conditions can have a measurable impact on how long and how well people live.

It's another example of how we're working to change the conversation on health in Texas and reach audiences beyond EHF. The goal is to help connect the dots between where people live and their health.

https://app.publicnewsservice.org/story/is-your-texas-zip-code-making-you-sick/ce0d6111-6aa0-440e-8f0e-8cb59a800d6f?

Your ZIP code could help determine how long you live in Texas and across the country, according to research from the Episcopal Health Foundation.The foundation says people who live in

05/21/2026

More than 4 million Texans enrolled in Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage for 2026, a record high. But the bigger story isn't just enrollment.

A new analysis from Episcopal Health Foundation and Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy shows that many Texans are changing plans, moving between coverage levels and adjustable amounts, and making difficult decisions to keep health insurance affordable as costs rise. Even after federal subsidy changes, about 96% of enrollees still qualify for financial assistance, helping many Texans stay covered.

That's why one of EHF's Impact Drivers focuses on Maximizing Connections to Health Coverage and Benefits. Health insurance is often the front door to preventive care, prescriptions, chronic disease management, and healthier lives.

Understanding what's happening with health insurance coverage today helps us prepare for the decisions that will shape access to care tomorrow.

Read more: https://www.episcopalhealth.org/enews/whats-really-happening-with-aca-health-insurance-coverage-in-texas/

New analysis from EHF and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy shows record enrollment in 2026, rising cost pressures, and why policy decisions could shape what come next.

05/20/2026

More than 500,000 fewer Texans are receiving SNAP benefits, according to new reporting from the Texas Tribune.

This is about more than food and nutrition assistance. It’s about health.

SNAP helps families afford groceries, lowers stress, supports child development, and helps people manage chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. When food access becomes unstable, health often declines with it.

And while nonprofits and food banks play an important role, they can't replace the scale of SNAP. About 90% of food and nutrition support in Texas comes from SNAP, not charitable organizations.

Improving health in Texas means making sure Texans can access the everyday basics that keep people healthy, not just medical care after problems get worse.

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/20/texas-snap-food-stamps-decline-work-restrictions-immigration/?utm_source=thetexastribune.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=top-story-500-000-fewer-texans-are-on-snap-as-participation-slips-nationally&_bhlid=57dc7f7171d31c103285f7dd1f4070af325c085d

Advocates say the federal government’s new work requirements and immigration crackdown has limited food stamp participation. The state says the recent decline is part of normal fluctuations in enrollment.

05/19/2026

Community health workers are often helping improve health in their neighborhoods while improving their own lives at the same time.

This video highlights the great work happening at Gulfton Home Community in Southwest Houston. Marlen Bautista is a community health worker who works with neighbors on diabetes prevention. The project includes checking A1C levels, talking through healthier meals, finding new ways to stay active, and making small changes that fit everyday life.

One of the most powerful parts of her story is hearing how the work has helped improve her own life, too. That’s part of what makes community health workers so important. They bring trust, lived experience, and real connection to the work.

After receiving a grant through EHF’s Priorities for Change focused on diabetes prevention, and as a participant in the our Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative, Gulfton Home Community has become a strong example of how community engagement and community health workers can come together to help neighbors prevent chronic disease and improve health where they live.

05/14/2026

At EHF, a lot of our work focuses on improving health beyond the doctor’s office. Sometimes that starts with something as simple as moving together.

This week, we held our first staff Zumba class, and it was a good reminder that community, movement, and fun all matter when it comes to health.

Across Texas, we support organizations creating opportunities for people to stay active through walking groups, diabetes prevention programs, community fitness efforts, and other activities that help make healthy choices easier and more accessible.

05/13/2026

Across Texas, communities are finding new ways to improve health, not just health care in new and different ways. EHF supports that work through grant funding, partnerships, research, community engagement, and more.

EHF’s upcoming grant cycle is focused on funding work that strengthens comprehensive care, connects people to health insurance coverage and other health-related benefits, and reflects what communities say they need most.

Letters of Inquiry (LOI) for the next 2026 grant cycle open June 23.

Now is a good time to review the grant guidance, FAQs, timelines, and grant portal registration information so you’re ready when the process opens.

Learn more: https://www.episcopalhealth.org/grantmaking/

Cycle 2 Grant Opportunties JUNE–DECEMBER 2026Episcopal Health Foundation is pleased to share updated Grant Guidance for Cycle 2 as part of our finalized Strategic Framework 2025–2030. This framework guides work to change systems and remove barriers to improve health, not just health care, for al...