The Community Investment Philanthropy is Overlooking

Innovative approaches to advancing health and racial equity have taken root here, including efforts to reimagine data systems. Sustained funding will strengthen and scale impact. 

The unique spirit of the South¹ exists not only in its houses of worship and natural beauty, but in what we call an economy of care—the everyday ways neighbors show up in solidarity and support one another.

We understand this deeply since we both identify as Southern Black women. Keecha, who lives in Birmingham, Alabama, includes “rural” in her intersectional identity while Monica is a daughter of the Mississippi Delta. We know firsthand how this region’s resilience, creativity, and joy have eclipsed oppression and neglect in ways that are unparalleled elsewhere in the United States.

The South is a treasure trove of ideas that amplify community wisdom to advance health equity. Today, in the midst of attacks on democracy and on diversity, equity, and inclusion, our region offers lessons for the entire country about drawing on local leadership and talent to fight systemic inequities that undermine health. 

Supporting communities in collecting data that paints an accurate picture of local conditions is an essential first step. The South has created models to do this which the entire nation should embrace. Continuing this work will require philanthropy to step forward with targeted resources.

Why the South Matters

Historically, people in power have intentionally used the South as a testing ground for oppressive policies and practices based on race and class.  This continues today, with much of the South failing to expand Medicaid and millions of Southerners without access to reproductive health care and bodily autonomy, both of which deepen disparities in access to care. Literacy tests, poll taxes, and other legacies of Jim Crow continue making it difficult for voters of color here to cast their ballots freely, with disabled populations facing particular obstacles. In overcoming these challenges, our communities have grown stronger, more strategic and resilient.

Many Black families have longstanding ties to the South, reflecting the legacy of slavery. And reverse migration has increased our presence in recent years. Black officials dominate municipal leadership. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have educated generations of youth. Through our collective power we are rewriting harmful narratives, testing new models, and telling empowering stories that are necessary to meet this moment.

Cultivating leadership among people who have endured racism and injustice creates pathways to equitable, sustainable solutions. Investing resources in those with deep roots in our region will do even more to unlock the South’s extraordinary potential.

Building a Community-Driven Data Infrastructure

That work begins with reversing the absence of data needed to paint a full picture of local conditions and inform strategies for change. This is particularly challenging in the South, because of its heavily rural population and distinctive demographic and socioeconomic realities. Traditional approaches to collecting and using data do not provide the historical context that is vital to understanding persistent racial disparities in health in this region.

For instance in 2020, when Census takers came to Monica’s hometown, population under 10,000, they understood that people were likely to be leery of outsiders. To build trust and encourage participation, they held public workshops to explain that securing federal funds for the region depended on an accurate head count. So they recruited and trained community members to collect essential data. This is just one example that illustrates why communities must lead efforts to determine how data is gathered and used.

We created the Southern Community Data Collaborative (SCDC) to decentralize data collection and overcome traditional barriers by building trust with communities. To build better data systems, those with local knowledge must lead. That’s how we counter systemic disinvestment, dismantle racism, and spotlight innovations that the rest of the nation can learn from. The SCDC is bringing together partners across sectors to consider what data communities need to make sound decisions. RWJF sees its role as “leading from the back” to develop resonant and coordinated community-driven systems that support the vision and ideals of an equitable South. 

A reconfigured data infrastructure requires non-traditional information-gathering approaches that build on networks of trusted relationships. For example, SCDC partner organizations surveyed WIC participants in Alabama to gather their ideas on how to improve the program. And after a devastating hurricane in 2024, the North Carolina Inclusive Disaster Recovery Network amplified local expertise and community voices to inform statewide decision-making.

After the initial phase of development support for the SCDC, our members have continued showing up for one another, recognizing the value of learning from colleagues across the South. Together, they are boldly imagining what a data system created by the people and for the people could look like. Continuing this collaborative learning process on their own dime is a testament to their dedication and the power of their work.  But it is also a call to action for philanthropy.

Stepping Up Philanthropic Commitments

For much too long, philanthropy has underinvested in the South. When philanthropy does invest, it has often only been to gather data that then informs national programs. But there are signs of a shift as the sector begins to think more locally and direct greater attention to understanding the region and meeting its needs. We see this as an opening to attract long-term support for our communities so we can strengthen our leadership and advance our own solutions.

People of the South deserve to be seen, heard, and supported on their own terms. With resources that support our strengths and recognize the imperative of self-determination, we can pursue custom-tailored solutions. By drawing on the assets embedded in an economy of care, our decisions can continue transforming systems and inspire a nation. The path to racial and health equity runs through the South and philanthropy plays an essential role in paving the way.

¹ _{While definitions of the South vary, the CDC includes these states in that geographic region: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.}

About the Authors

Monica L. Coleman is program officer of research, evaluation and learning at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Keecha Harris is president and CEO of Keecha Harris and Associates, Inc