The Commonwealth Fund envisions a health care system where all people — regardless of health status, social need, race, ethnicity, geography, insurance coverage, or income — receive respectful, high-quality care and better outcomes.
The Achieving Equitable Outcomes program aims to reduce unequal treatment, experience, and outcomes in health and health care. It generates evidence, promotes innovative care models, and develops policy and practice solutions needed to advance high-quality, equitable health care. The program focuses on three areas:
- Equitable technology innovation.New digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, have the potential to significantly improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for underserved communities. We seek to promote adoption of the best of these tools by our nation’s safety-net health care systems, just as our Improving Care Delivery program encourages the use of tech-enabled care models to help more people access primary care.
- Maternal health. To achieve better health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, the U.S. needs community-centered birthing models and evidence-based standards for postpartum care. We support the spread and scale of community birthing centers by catalyzing innovative investment partnerships and identifying sustainable financing approaches. We also support the development and adoption of national postpartum standards for all health care payers.
- Leadership. Meeting America’s health challenges requires talented young leaders dedicated to improving outcomes for vulnerable and often neglected populations, particularly those disproportionally affected by health disparities. That’s why we invest in three fellowship programs: the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership at Harvard University; the Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership at Yale University; and the Michael Drake Health Philanthropy Fellowship Program.
2026 Program Funding Priorities
- Understanding emerging digital technologies in safety-net systems that improve access to care and health outcomes for people and communities.
- Improving maternal health by mobilizing investors to support birthing centers and advancing postpartum standards of care.
- Continuing to foster an impactful alumni community of Commonwealth Fund fellows through engagement, grant opportunities, advisory groups, and convenings.
