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About Us

Our Mission

The Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc. (FPHNY) is dedicated to the advancement of the health and well-being of all New York City residents. Towards this aim, the Fund implements programs to address pressing public health needs, develops private sector support for enhancing the health of New Yorkers, and educates New Yorkers about the role they can play in protecting their own health and the health of their families and communities.

A Public-Private Partnership

The Fund is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that was formed by the NYC Health Department to enable foundations, philanthropists, businesses and ordinary citizens to become the strategic partners of city government. This public-private alliance is powerful and essential for tackling the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century and has helped move the Department's health agenda forward faster, to the benefit of all New Yorkers. The Fund helps the NYC Health Department turn its innovative thinking into action.

The Fund is managed by a small Board of Directors, chaired by the NYC Health Commissioner. The NYC Health Department scientists, researchers, academics and policymakers work with FPHNY staff to conceive and shape new health initiatives and raise the funds needed to implement and evaluate them. NYC Health Department staff direct funded projects, while FPHNY staff lead fundraising activities and provide expert administrative management and oversight of funded projects. This collaboration provides an ideal vehicle for directing private funding at persistent public health problems and expediting the implementation of solutions with private and public dollars. This unique partnership can:

  • Rapidly identify problems, design responses, and implement solutions
  • Provide a mechanism for private funders to lead long-lasting and far-reaching improvements in health
  • Produce public health policy and program models that can be replicated nationally and globally
  • Find new ways to attack health problems as traditional approaches are rolled back due to losses in public funding

A culture of innovation is possible because of the partnership between FPHNY and the NYC Health Department. As government dollars shrink, private dollars are needed more than ever to continue the pace of innovation. While government agencies may value innovation, government is not traditionally well-positioned to develop innovative ideas. In seven years of operations, over $250M has been raised, $30M of it from the private sector to advance priority projects of the NYC Health Department. FPHNY is more nimble and flexible than a government agency can be, and the NYC Health Department has the expertise and vision to develop, test, implement and evaluate health interventions on a large scale.

The past eight years of public health in NYC are defined by bold, transformative ideas that reflect a culture of innovation. If NYC is going to continue being a national leader in public health and create an environment that supports New Yorkers in making even healthier choices, we - policymakers, community organizations, business, and ordinary citizens - must all work together to make this possible. Our shared goal: to live longer, healthier lives. Learn more about how you can Get Involved.