Mission Statement
The Commonwealth Fund was established in 1918 with the broad charge to enhance the common good. Its founder, Anna M. Harkness, is among the first women to start a private foundation.
Today, the mission of the Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high-performing, equitable health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable, including people of color, people with low income, and those who are uninsured.
The Fund carries out this mandate by supporting independent research on health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and policy. An international program in health policy is designed to stimulate innovative policies and practices in the United States and other industrialized countries.
Working at the Commonwealth Fund
We take great pride in our team and strive to create a collegial, inclusive environment. We look for talented people with curious minds who are inspired by the Fund’s mission.
As a community of individuals seeking to improve health care policy and practice through evidence-based research, we encourage all our staff to contribute to this work, regardless of title or tenure. We consider diversity of experience and perspective to be essential to our success. Click to learn more about working at the Fund.
Our Commitment to Health Equity
The Commonwealth Fund is committed to achieving health equity in the United States. What do we mean by that? To us, health equity means that everyone — regardless of income, insurance status, geography, gender, race, ethnicity, or ability status — can get high-quality care.
It means that whether you live in a rural community or a big city, or somewhere in between, you have access to the latest cancer treatments.
It means that if you’re pregnant, you can expect good prenatal care and doctors who listen to you and respect your concerns — whether you’re covered through your employer, a marketplace plan, or Medicaid.
And it means that if a doctor puts a pulse oximeter on your finger to measure your oxygen level, the reading is accurate whether you’re Black, Latino, Native American, or white.
Read more about how we work toward a more equitable U.S. health care system.
