Infrastructure forms the foundation of a healthy community.

Investing in infrastructure that fosters health and wellbeing is key to making communities healthier, more equitable places to live.

Every community should be a place where people can live their healthiest lives. Regardless of race or income, everyone should have access to safe drinking water, green parks, and a reliable transit system. 

But this is not everyone’s reality today. For decades, a lack of investment and inadequate and failing infrastructure—often in communities of color and where people have lower incomes—have created barriers to good health.

Investing in infrastructure can transform communities so they are healthier and more equitable places to live.

 

Water

This collection of research offers insights into how to close the gap in access to affordable and safe water.

Parks and Green Spaces

The national funding initiative People, Parks and Power and research from City Parks Alliance and the National Recreation and Parks Association are advancing equitable investment in parks and green infrastructure.

Transportation

This field scan by SmartGrowth America dives into how transportation affects health equity in America.

Grantee Resource

Pillars, Policies, And Plausible Pathways Linking Digital Inclusion And Health Equity

Digital inclusion and health equity are connected through direct and indirect pathways. Strengthening both pathways create conditions for people to use the internet to thrive.

Read the Health Affairs brief

Related Perspectives

RWJF staff members share examples of infrastructure at work. 

  • Brooke Tucker, program officer
  • James Hardy, senior program officer
  • Julie Morita, executive vice president
  • Pamela Russo, senior program officer

Related Content

Health in Small and Midsize Cities

RWJF is supporting the efforts of small and midsize cities across the nation to develop solutions that effectively leverage local resources and strengths.

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The Gift of Water: How Communities Are Sharing Traditional Techniques to Combat Drought

In drought-prone areas, communities are incorporating green infrastructure to harvest and reuse scarce water, often drawing on the ancient knowledge and wisdom of indigenous practices.

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Impact Investments to Improve Health Equity

RWJF expanded our commitment to impact investing with an allocation of $325 million to advance health equity in communities that have faced a historic lack of investment.

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Increasing Community Resilience for Climate-Related Events

Green infrastructure, like parks, street trees, and shrubs on rooftops, improves air quality, reduces flooding and heat islands, improves water quality, and promotes community resilience in the face of extreme weather.

2-min read

Public and Community Health Policy and Law Climate Change & Climate Action
In the Press
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Avoiding the Harms That Infrastructure Can Wreak 

Decades ago, highway projects destroyed neighborhoods, uprooting families and businesses. Today’s leaders must seek to rebuild public trust through thoughtful, equitable transportation and land-use decisions.

1-min read

Infrastructure & Energy
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