In 2019, the Hellman Foundation reached out to Facente Consulting for help in identifying challenges and opportunities for a deep philanthropic investment in San Francisco’s safety net clinic system, which includes clinics run by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and those run independently as part of the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium.
Facente Consulting conducted a literature review of the state of health in San Francisco, with particular attention to racial health disparities. We interviewed health clinic providers and administration, dental service providers, consumer advisory panels, patient advisory committees, and health equity councils to identify potential areas of high-impact investment. After clinic-based food security interventions emerged as a high-impact investment opportunity, Facente Consulting gathered detailed information about the feasibility and best practices for this type of investment and worked with the Hellman Foundation board to develop a theory of change for this strategy. After refining the investment strategy with the input of community experts in food security in 2022, the Hellman Foundation then launched a long-term investment in this area, with Facente Consulting serving as the external evaluator. This evaluation effort uses the Results-Based Accountability framework, and Facente Consulting has been responsible for developing the detailed evaluation plan in collaboration with Hellman Foundation staff and grantees, and providing technical assistance to grantees to help ensure success in implementation.