Founded in 1964 by David and Lucile Packard, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (the Foundation) is a family philanthropy dedicated to supporting leaders and organizations around the world working to invest in children and families, protect and restore the natural world, and create just and inclusive societies. For more than six decades, the Foundation has advanced scientific innovation, championed reproductive health and rights, conserved and restored our natural world, and invested in the well-being of children and families. The Foundation’s goals are to:
To achieve lasting change, the Foundation also strives to address root causes of longstanding problems, including building a thriving, resilient U.S. democracy; advancing racial justice in the United States and gender equity globally; and supporting a strong civil society around the globe.
Inclusive collaboration is the heart of the Foundation’s approach, with the belief that actively listening to and learning from people with a wide range of views is the best way to create solutions that match the scale and urgency of the challenges we face. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting community-based solutions shaped by the knowledge and experience of the people whose lives are most affected and informed by data, recognizing that meaningful solutions require patience, urgency, and supporting the conditions for transformational change. The Foundation is committed to addressing complex issues over the long term while making tangible progress today.
The Foundation’s Vision, Mission and Values are as follows:
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INITIATIVE
As the Packard Foundation advances its goal to “Invest in Families and Communities,” it recognizes that ensuring a strong, healthy start for children is foundational to thriving families, resilient communities, and a more equitable society. Yet across the United States, too many families face systemic barriers to accessing the health care, economic supports, and early learning experiences necessary for healthy pregnancies, safe births, and optimal health and development. These challenges are compounded by persistent racial and economic inequities that result in disproportionately poor outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and Latino families.
The Children and Families initiative is focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes and ensuring that all families, particularly those facing the greatest barriers, have access to the supports they need during pregnancy and early childhood. The initiative is grounded in the belief that when families are supported early, children are more likely to thrive and reach their full potential. To advance this goal, the Foundation supports strategies that strengthen and better connect the community systems that serve families, including health care, child care, and economic supports, as well as champion policies designed to better assist all families. By improving how these systems function individually and together, the initiative seeks to reduce disparities, improve outcomes, and create a more coherent and accessible support ecosystem for families. CFI funds nationally with focused investments in California, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
THE PROGRAM OFFICER ROLE
Reporting to the Children and Families Director, this Program Officer will lead a grantmaking portfolio that focuses on protecting and advancing coverage and equitable access to quality health and nutrition services under Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, nationally. Funding priorities include federal, state, and grassroots advocacy; research and policy analysis; litigation to preserve beneficiary rights; narrative change and communications; and innovation to better support the health and well-being of young children, mothers, and expectant families.
The Program Officer will manage a portfolio that supports policy development, advocacy, implementation, and systems change at the national level. They will assess opportunities for investment, shape grantmaking strategies, and build relationships with philanthropic partners, policy experts, advocates, and community-based leaders working to strengthen and connect systems of care for expectant families, mothers, and young children, prenatal to 3 years. This role requires a strong understanding of how public systems and policies impact family well-being, along with the ability to translate complex, evolving policy landscapes into clear, actionable funding strategies. They will be comfortable navigating ambiguity and working across sectors, balancing long-term systems change with near-term opportunities for impact.
The ideal candidate is a strategic and analytical thinker who brings a deep commitment to equity and to improving outcomes for families, particularly Black, Indigenous, Latino, and low-income communities. They are a strong communicator and collaborator, able to work effectively with internal colleagues, external partners, and grantees to advance shared goals. They will also bring a thoughtful, nonpartisan approach to this work, with the ability to engage across diverse perspectives and stakeholders.
OPPORTUNITIES
Grantmaking and Strategic Leadership
Strategic and Field Leadership
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about The David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s mission and bring many of the following skills and experiences.
Experience and Education
Field Knowledge and Experience
Skills, Abilities, and Qualities
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