The Big Impact of Small Investments: Turning modest funding into transformational change for women’s health and equity

By Greg Mann

In 2024, a $5,000 grant from Health Equity Initiative helped fund salaries for community health workers in New York City. That investment powered the heart of the Grameen Promotoras program — the people delivering care and education directly to their community. 

​Take Maria, for example, a mother of two in Jackson Heights who attended a Promotoras health workshop for the first time last year. There, she not only received free blood pressure and diabetes screenings but also learned how to navigate the health system to secure consistent care for her family. Stories like Maria’s show how these workshops are more than sessions — they’re lifelines.

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With this support from the Health Equity Initiative, our team reached nearly 25,000 women across New York City, a 12% increase from the previous year. Through 9,100 workshops, screenings, and referrals, women in the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan gained access to vital health resources at no cost. 

The lesson is clear: even modest funding can unlock transformational impact. By supporting the women on the frontlines of health equity, we strengthen entire communities and take real steps toward closing the gaps in care. 

Image Credit: Grameen America
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Grameen America is a 2024-2025 grantee partner of Health Equity Initiative, which also includes unrestricted funding for this blog post. 
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​Author’s Bio
Greg is the Vice President of Education & Health at Grameen America. He joined the organization following its merger with Grameen PrimaCare, where he helped expand healthcare initiatives for underserved communities. He brings deep nonprofit experience, including roles at the Harvard Eating Disorders Center and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. As a global traveler, he has visited 134 countries.