It is also important that board members have a commitment to improving health or increasing access to healthcare, assuming that is the mission of the new foundation. If a board member believes that economic development, education, housing or the arts, for that matter, are more important than health, that person should serve on another foundation board that is a better match with his or her interests. It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the first tasks for a new foundation created by a conversion is to build its internal capacity for communications. This is more than public relations. Professional expertise is essential for explaining the purpose of the new foundation and connecting with key constituencies in meaningful ways.
Rumors swirl around conversions.
It is essential to be clear internally as to who is authorized to speak for the foundation and to make sure that the messages given to the public are clear and consistent. Some of the biggest mistakes new health foundations have made resulted either from not communicating or from taking the wrong approach to communicating their messages. Naturally, prudence is advised regarding the cost of such activities. Slickness is not an asset and will be greeted with cynicism by most audiences. But quickly finding an authentic voice for the organization will accrue many benefits, not the least of which is greater clarity for the grantseeking community.