Foundations' impact on health policy.

Foundations have sought to influence health policy in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors for more than a century. Their effectiveness in this has been a result of reliability and relevance in seeking and disseminating information, responsiveness to policymakers' priorities and operating styles, circumspection in communicating with policymakers and the media, and ability to maintain continuity in the issues of policy that funders address. This paper draws evidence to support these points from the history of foundations and health policy and, in particular, the Milbank Memorial Fund.