Reproductive Health Equity Fund (RHEF)
Established in March 2022 with a $15 million allocation from the Oregon Legislature, the Reproductive Health Equity Fund (RHEF) is a statewide initiative focused on strengthening the reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare sector in Oregon. Administered by Seeding Justice, the fund addresses infrastructure gaps and expands access for the state's most vulnerable populations, including rural, tribal, and undocumented communities.
Key Facts:
Strategic Investment: The fund supports four primary areas: provider workforce and care investments, direct patient support (including abortion services), community-based outreach and education, and research.
Equitable Distribution: By March 2024, the fund completed its grant-making cycle, prioritizing communities historically impacted by disparities in access to care.
Dual-Impact Approach: RHEF addresses both immediate and long-term needs through two distinct types of grants:
Rapid Response Grants: Focused on urgent, short-term barriers to care and easing the burden on healthcare providers.
Systems Change Grants: Designed to create long-term systemic shifts to build a more equitable healthcare infrastructure.
Our Role
RHEF Systems Change Evaluation
Sankofa Consulting served as the external evaluator for the Reproductive Health Equity Fund (RHEF) Systems Change portfolio, prioritizing an approach that honored grantees as both expert practitioners and members of the communities they serve. The evaluation assessed how these grants dismantled structural barriers to reduce healthcare inequities across Oregon.
Rooted in equitable evaluation principles, Sankofa’s methodology centered on the lived expertise of grantees who navigate and represent those most impacted by reproductive injustice. By fostering cultural responsiveness and deep relational trust, the evaluation ensured that the professionals doing the work, many of whom share the identities and experiences of their constituents, were the primary authors of their own narratives, ensuring their challenges and visions for systemic change were accurately and respectfully represented.
Key Evaluation Activities
Collaborative Planning: Engaged consistently with Seeding Justice staff and the RHEF Steering Committee to ensure the evaluation plan was relevant and high utility.
Grantee Engagement: Built direct connections with grantees, including participation in the December 2024 grantee convening and site visits, to foster a foundation of trust and candid insight.
Equitable Data Collection: Conducted qualitative "storytelling" interviews with 19 grantees, supplemented by document reviews and previous interview data to minimize participant burden.
Case Study Development: Co-created four in-depth case studies in close collaboration with grantees, who maintained final approval to ensure their stories were accurately represented. These studies highlight unique strengths and successful strategies to serve as models for future equity efforts.
Key Insights
Across the evaluation several lessons emerged:
Prioritizing Community-Led Impact: We learned that grantees effectively advance equity through diverse, locally led approaches—such as community guided governance and culturally responsive education—that often extended well beyond their initial proposals.
Centering Community Aligned Methods to Ensure Data Quality: We learned that by utilizing storytelling techniques and demonstrating cultural responsiveness, the evaluation created the necessary safe space for grantees to share deep, meaningful insights and lived expertise.
Adapting Methods to Enhance Participation: We learned that flexibility is essential; adapting data collection tools to meet grantees' specific needs and contextual barriers ensured a high level of engagement while maximizing existing resources efficiently.
Safeguarding Identity in Volatile Climates: We recognized that in response to the shifting socio-political climate, we must anchor the safety of all entities through rigorous privacy protocols, including the use of generalized descriptors to protect professionals and communities from physical and emotional harm.
Case Studies
