Community First: Shaping Our Health Foundation Together 

Our community deserves a decisive voice in shaping the governance and direction of our health foundation.

Community First Shaping Our Health Foundation Together 

<p>Endorsements from organizations like yours strengthen our collective voice and show decision-makers that our communities are united in the call for fair and inclusive governance.</p><p>Let’s build a foundation that reflects the needs and values of the people it serves. <a href="https://www.ourhealthourfoundation.org/join" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Join us.</a></p>

<p>Supporters and endorsements</p>

<p><strong>Together, we can build a foundation that truly reflects our community’s needs and values.</strong></p>

<h3>Contribute now to support our campaign!</h3>

<p>Learn more about this historic opportunity and the need to act.</p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text)">Frequently Asked Questions</span></p>

<p>The Merger &amp; Process</p>

<p>The Campaign</p>

<p>The Proposed Foundation</p>

<p>Reaching our goals</p>

<h2><strong>Legacy Health is proposing to start a new health foundation with only their current board members in charge.</strong></h2><h2><strong>That’s not health equity.</strong></h2><h4>Any new grant resources from the OHSU/Legacy merger should be led by and for the communities that face the worst health inequities.</h4><p>The possibility of hundreds of millions of foundation dollars to address health equity across Oregon and Southwest Washington is exciting. But without a structure that prioritizes community voices and inclusive governance, there’s a risk that all this money may not align with the real needs of our communities.</p><p>We want a foundation committed to bringing about true health equity in our region: real change that repairs past harms, builds community voice, and changes policies and practices that keep us from health.&nbsp;</p><p><span style="color: var(--color-text)">To get there, we need the State of Oregon to act while they still can. </span><strong><span style="color: var(--color-text)">We’re here to see that they do.&nbsp;</span></strong></p>

<p>Want to learn more? Here are some great resources.</p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Resources</span></p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Merger Applications</span></p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Community-Led Governance</span></p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">In the news</span></p>

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<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Our Why</span></h2><h4>For this mission of health equity to succeed—and before the State approves the merger—we need to speak up.</h4><p>Legacy Health is proposing to start a new foundation with only their current board members in charge from the start. We don’t blame them, but<strong> that’s not health equity</strong><em>.</em></p><p>Legacy says they are invested in addressing our diverse community's health needs.&nbsp; As they put it, they want to create a foundation that is “reflective of, focused on, and accountable to under-resourced communities..."<strong><br></strong></p><p>We’re excited at what this could mean for our communities. But we need to do our part to ensure that promise actually happens.</p>

<p><strong>Key dates in the merger timeline </strong>that we'll keep updated when hearings are held.</p>

<p>Merger Timeline</p>

<p>AUG 2023</p>

<p>May 30, 2024</p>

<p>OCT 4, 2024</p>

<p>Oct 18, 2024</p>

<p>NOV 4, 2024</p>

<p>NOV 18, 2024</p>

<p>April 2, 2025</p>

<p>April 16, 2025</p>

<h4>Community First is stronger when more community-based organizations get involved by endorsing, speaking up through public comment and testimony, and sharing our campaign with other CBOs.</h4><p>But whether you’re a local leader, health advocate, nonprofit, or community member, we invite you to get involved. Together, we can build a foundation that truly reflects our community’s needs and values.</p><p>We're here with more information, help with your public comments or to meet with you, your staff, members and/or board. Please get in touch!</p>

<p>Be a part of shaping a more equitable future.</p>

<p>Local foundations serving Oregon &amp; SW Washington <br>support the goals of Community First. Thank you, funders!</p>

<p>Funders endorse community-led governance</p>

<p>Be a part of shaping a healthier, more equitable future for everyone.</p>

<p>"This new foundation has the potential to reshape how the Portland region addresses health equity... But its effectiveness will depend largely on how the foundation is governed and structured." - <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2024/08/opinion-proposed-ohsu-legacy-merger-could-yield-a-transformative-foundation-if-its-set-up-the-right-way.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Chris Kabel</a></p>

<span class="image image-framed image-right image-tilt-left" style="width: 40%;"><span class="image-inner-wrapper"><img src="https://run.imgix.net/411a81c8-6161-44ca-b5e9-aa9a560b47a2/addb81bd-3d4f-4e3f-b717-f2a0b14572b7/addb81bd-3d4f-4e3f-b717-f2a0b14572b7.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1365&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed"></span><span class="caption" style="display: none"></span></span><h2><strong><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Community First: Shaping Our Health Foundation Together.</span></strong></h2><h4><strong>We are a public engagement campaign to empower community based organizations and leaders to make sure that any philanthropic resources created through a historic healthcare merger are governed by the communities most impacted by health inequity.&nbsp;</strong></h4><p>As community-based organizations, we have a once in a generation chance to shape grantmaking programs for equity through the money—estimated at $600 million—coming from <a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2023/08/17/ohsu-and-legacy-health-agree-to-merge-shaking-up-the-portland-regions-health-care-landscape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>the proposed OHSU/Legacy Health merger</strong></a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>These resources&nbsp; must be governed with a strong commitment to health and racial equity, transparency, and community-led decision-making. By centering our diverse community's priorities, we aim to create a foundation—or strengthen existing foundations—that truly serve and uplift all.</p>

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<h3><strong>Be a part of shaping a healthier, more equitable future for us all.</strong></h3><p><strong>Whether you’re a local leader, health advocate, nonprofit, or community member, we invite you to get involved. Together, we can build a foundation that truly reflects our community’s needs and values.</strong></p>

<p>Add your organization to the campaign</p>

<p>Submit written testimony</p>

<p>Testify at a public hearing</p>

<p>Host a presentation for your community</p>

<p><strong>We are a public engagement campaign to empower community based organizations and leaders to make sure that any philanthropic resources created through a historic healthcare merger of OHSU &amp; Legacy Health are focused on equity and governed by the communities most impacted by health inequity.&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text)">The State of Oregon can help us achieve our goals through a variety of ways. You can view some of those in </span><a href="/faqs" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span style="color: var(--color-text)">our FAQs</span></a><span style="color: var(--color-text)">.</span></p>

<p><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Our Goals</span></p>

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<h2><strong>For this mission of health equity to succeed—and before the State approves the merger—we need to speak up.</strong></h2><p><strong>Legacy is proposing to start a new foundation with only their current board members in charge from the get-go. We don’t blame them, but that’s not health equity.&nbsp;</strong></p>

<h2>Community-Led Governance</h2><h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">A Commitment to Equity</span></h2><h2>Accountability</h2><h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Time &amp; Transparency</span></h2><h2>Foundation Focused &amp; Merger Agnostic</h2>

<h2><strong>Report: Protecting the Public Interest and Promoting Health Equity</strong></h2><p>Exploring how Oregon’s community-based organizations ensure the proposed merger between Legacy Health and Oregon Health &amp; Science University truly serves the public.</p>

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Learn about how Legacy is proposing to start a new foundation with only their current board members in charge from the get-go. We don’t blame them, but that’s not health equity. 


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We need Legacy to change their proposal—or for the State to act while they still can. We’re here to see that they do.  

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Whether you’re a local leader, health advocate, nonprofit, or community member, we invite you to get involved. Together, we can build a foundation that truly reflects our community’s needs and values.

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