The Governance and Purpose of the Fund

A health promotion fund is mandated to promote and protect public health with strategies and multi-faceted programs that also reduce health inequities in the population.  The fund can be established and administered by an independent statutory body (a foundation), or located within a government department, or exist as a semi-autonomous body within a government structure.

The fund is used to fund programs that stimulate changes by enabling community development and mobilization, advocating for healthy public policies, supporting healthy individual behaviors and seeking reorientation of health services.  There objectives are consistent with the 1986 WHO Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion.

Whilst the agency/foundation governing or administering the health promotion fund may be known by different names in different countries, the health promotion objectives remain consistent.  

In the case of a health promotion foundation, the general features include:

• a focus on funding health promotion activities;
• established by legislation (e.g. Act of Parliament) which secures long-term funding;
• an independent Board of Governance comprising stakeholders;
• a level of autonomous decisions-making in accordance with its governance structure; and
• independence from any political group with engagement across the political.