Our work
Putting the public back in public health.
Public health is being lost in conversation, in communities, and in government. So we work in all three at once, as one system rather than a list of projects.
Why NPHC
There are many public health groups. There's no other one like us.
We are the primary source
Our work is built on insider knowledge of how the agencies run, which no outside group can recreate.
We move at the speed of crises
We can act on breaking policy changes and funding cuts without waiting on bureaucracy.
We are where the trust still is
As confidence in federal public health falls, we're a trusted voice and a bridge between government and the public.
Our approach
One goal, three fronts, one shared foundation.
Everything we do works toward the same outcome and draws on the same core: a coalition of experts who know how public health agencies actually work.
In Conversation
Rebuilding trust where people actually get their information.
In Communities
Building lasting power with the people who know their communities best.
In Government
Getting public health expertise back in the rooms where decisions are made.
- Organizational Development
- Coalition Development
- Rapid Response Reserve
- Data, Evaluation & Innovation
Impact so far
The voice reporters call, the expertise Congress uses, and a source the public trusts.
In 18 months, a group of fired CDC workers built a national coalition that wins real things for public health. Here are the receipts.
What we've won and moved, on all three fronts
In Government
- Helped reverse layoffsOur advocacy helped reverse reductions in force for CDC's childhood lead program and NIOSH.
- Fought for flat FY26 fundingPushed Congress to hold funding flat instead of accepting proposed CDC cuts of up to 54%.
- Surgeon General nomination haltedWe made the case against the nomination, and it was halted in the Senate HELP Committee.
- Public health on the recordDrove public comments on OMB's proposed rule so experts' voices were part of the process.
- On Capitol Hill100+ bipartisan meetings with congressional staff and our own Hill Day.
In Conversation
- A go-to source for national pressFeatured or quoted by The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, AP, NPR, CNN, NBC News, and STAT.
- Rapid response when cuts hitOur virtual press conference after the October 2025 shutdown layoffs shaped more than a dozen national stories.
- Reaching millions100,000+ followers, millions of impressions, and 70+ weekly newsletters keep people informed about what's really happening.
In Communities
- A national day of action — for a weekOrganizing partner of Seven Days in June: 125+ events in 61 cities across 30 states and D.C.
- The workforce, mobilized7,000+ HHS staff signed our letter after the CDC shooting, and rallies at CDC headquarters drew national TV coverage.
- Leading the fieldInvited to speak at national and international conferences, including APHA, the Society for Health Communication, and an upcoming symposium in Germany.
The CDC Data Project
HHS won't confirm its own cuts, so we track them. Our volunteer-built dashboards on CDC's budget, layoffs, grants, and leadership are cited by The Wall Street Journal as “an independent tracker” and by The Guardian as “an independent monitoring group.”
What we're building toward
Next up: turning momentum into lasting programs.
Everything above came from a scrappy, volunteer-powered team moving at the speed of crises. Now we're building it into programs that last — on all three fronts.
Building public and political will
In Conversation
Making public health a kitchen-table topic.
Public health has a PR problem. Many people don't know what our public health system does or how it protects them every day. We're changing how public health is talked about, and who's talking about it.
Serving You Where You Are
Trusted information on social media
Almost half of young adults get health information from social media, and it isn't always trustworthy. We'll create messaging that fits into creators' existing content and equip them to push back on misinformation.
In Plain Words
Long-form media
The nuance of public health gets lost in clickbait headlines. We'll go deeper in podcasts, documentaries, and video journalism to explain why public health matters and to rebuild trust.
The Narrative Lab
Message research
Many public health communications are outdated and out of step with today's media. The Lab will test new messaging to learn what lands with everyday people and strengthen the toolbox against misinformation.
Strengthening the workforce
In Communities
Local problems deserve local solutions.
Public health starts close to home, with the people who serve communities every day. We help public health professionals, healthcare providers, and community members advocate, organize, and build power.
THREAD
Together for Health, Regional Engagement & Dialogue
THREAD will connect physicians and other healthcare providers with state, local, and territorial public health officials, so the people delivering care and the people running public health programs work together.
State-Based Broad Street Society
Qualified leaders, closer to home
State chapters that will empower local public health and healthcare professionals to recommend qualified candidates for health-related positions at the state and local level.
The Mountin Institute
Advocacy training
Training that will build the outreach and advocacy skills of state, local, territorial, and community-based organizations, including what public health professionals can and can't do as advocates.
Public health & democracy
In Government
Where public health meets public service.
Public decisions shape the health of every community. We give members of Congress and voters better information, and we work to put qualified public health experts back where decisions are made.
NPHC Review
Policymaker toolkit
An evaluation toolkit that will help organizations, communities, and individuals understand where their policymakers stand on high-priority public health issues.
Capitol Hill Capacity
Briefings and fellowships
Building on our 100+ meetings with congressional staff: regular briefings for members of Congress, plus a fellowship pipeline so policymakers are supported by staff with deep public health backgrounds.
The Broad Street Society
Nonpartisan leadership recommendations
We'll convene public health experts to recommend highly qualified professionals for health-related federal positions, from HHS Secretary to agency directors.
The foundation
What will keep it all running.
Some of the most important work happens behind the scenes. We're building four core initiatives that will power every program above, year after year.
Organizational Development
Staffing, infrastructure, technology, and capacity-building across the coalition.
Coalition Development
Growing a broad, multi-sector coalition that can mobilize across policy, civic, and economic networks.
Rapid Response Reserve
A reserve so resources are ready to deploy for outbreaks, policy changes, and community crises, without waiting on new funding cycles.
Data, Evaluation & Innovation
Shared data systems, impact evaluation, and public reports that turn our work into knowledge for the field.
Be part of the work.
The wins are real, and the next chapter is ready to go. Here's how you can help make it happen.
Support our work
Your gift funds programs that protect public health across the country. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
DonateFund a program
Foundations and partners: every program is fully scoped and ready to launch. Let's talk about the work you'd like to support.
invest@nationalphc.org