Food is Medicine Impact Fund
RFCC hosts the Food is Medicine Impact Fund and is providing staffing, operational and legal support in establishing the Fund.
A collaborative philanthropic initiative working to integrate proven food and nutrition interventions into the U.S. healthcare system as covered, reimbursable medical benefits.
The Food is Medicine Impact Fund, a joint philanthropic initiative founded by The Rockefeller Foundation and Builders Vision and hosted by RF Catalytic Capital, Inc, aims to improve health outcomes for millions of Americans with chronic, diet-related conditions by expanding access to effective Food is Medicine programs.
Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs, including prescriptions, medically tailored groceries and medically tailored meals, are increasingly demonstrating their ability to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs for people living with diet-related chronic conditions. Yet many promising programs struggle to move beyond pilots due to limited capacity, fragmented implementation, and low public and provider awareness.
Chronic diet-related diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, are the leading causes of death in the United States, especially in low-income communities. Poor diets currently cost the United States $1.1 trillion annually in health care spending and lost productivity. Recognizing the potential of Food is Medicine benefits, 17 US State Medicaid programs now cover FIM programs as a medical benefit.
Initial projects of the Fund include:
- FIM State Officer Program: Managed by the Center for Health Care Strategies, the FIM State Officer Program will support up to ten U.S. states in hiring dedicated FIM leaders for three years who will help their respective states expand and strengthen FIM programs to better meet the health and nutrition needs of their residents. These dedicated leaders will support policy design, program implementation, and coordination across states. As state leaders continue to innovate and expand FIM services for their populations, this initiative underscores the growing importance of investing in state-level leadership, policies, and programs that ensure nutritious food is a fundamental part of health care and disease prevention across the United States.
- Increase Awareness for FIM Programs Nationwide: One of the single largest barriers to FIM programs is that many Americans—from possible patients to prescribers—don’t know about them. However, when made aware of what FIM programs are, the majority of Americans think they could help them eat better. The fund will support efforts to broaden and deepen understanding across country so that more Americans can benefit from FIM, improve their nutrition and address their chronic health conditions.
