As Social Isolation Spreads, What Can Philanthropy Do?

Social isolation affects tens of millions of Americans of all ages. Linked to depression, poor sleep and impaired immunity, social isolation increases the risks of dementia by 50%, stroke by 32%, and coronary heart disease by 29% — and significantly raises the risk of premature death from all causes.

It’s a crisis, yet it’s not treated that way.

Social isolation — and its close cousin, loneliness — is rarely a choice. Rather, it is a product of community design, social norms, public policy, and systems that make it hard for people to build strong social connections. People who have been marginalized because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation are particularly susceptible to social isolation, which makes it an equity issue, as well.

The COVID-19 pandemic, with its lockdowns and social distancing policies, has increased social isolation and our awareness of it. Now is the time to address this problem by investing in socially connected communities — places where people know and trust their neighbors, feel welcomed and represented, are motivated and supported to engage with others, and are more likely to be in good health. Having strong social connections can boost a person’s lifespan by as much as 50%.

A limited number of philanthropies, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the AARP Foundation, are starting to address social isolation and explore ways to build socially connected communities. The Einhorn Collaborative, a family foundation, has issued a call to “cultivate a culture of connection.” But more needs to be done.

In 2020, Healthy Places by Design partnered with RWJF to manage and lead a Social Isolation Learning Network, in which participants from diverse organizations and places across the country and globally shared their efforts to reduce social isolation. Wishing to share what they had learned more broadly, participants in the Social Isolation Learning Network and Healthy Places by Design co-created a report called Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation. The Social Isolation Learning Network continues to meet monthly on Zoom and has become a platform for learning, exchanging ideas, and peer networking on ways to build equitable, socially connected communities. (To join the network, email gabriellap@healthyplacesbydesign.org.)

Based on lessons from this learning network, we’ve identified five ways philanthropic leaders can support longer-term socially connected communities:

Reframe the conversation

Typically, social isolation is defined, discussed and addressed as a personal problem — a lifestyle choice or a personality trait. It’s critical to recognize and address the systemic root causes of social isolation, which include the design of public spaces that welcome some people but not others, high crime rates that keep people indoors and stop them from mixing with their neighbors, and unfair housing policies that segregate people. Funders can help change the narrative, both nationally and in communities, by shining a light on these stories and lifting up the voices of those who are suffering from social isolation.

Measure social connection

Although the Sense of Community Index is the measure most frequently used in the social sciences to gauge community connectedness, other indicators may work better for different populations or regions, and track progress in ways that are more meaningful to local residents and policymakers. Funders can play a key role in investigating and identifying these metrics in collaboration with residents, and in funding the data collection and reporting of social connection measures over time.

Map social isolation

Social isolation is more common among groups that have been historically oppressed or marginalized, including people of color, people who are queer, and people who have disabilities. This vulnerability can be exacerbated by experiences such as long-term illness or disability, domestic violence, loss of a loved one, becoming a caregiver, having a baby, relocation, incarceration and homelessness. Funders can support qualitative community assessments or network mapping exercises to discover who is suffering from social isolation and begin to identify systemic solutions.

Host community conversations and co-design solutions with residents

Foundations are valued conveners. Hosting inclusive, healing conversations where people agree on and collectively create norms that support social connections is a great first step. Surface what harmful practices and policies are causing isolation, and what is working to strengthen social bonds across the lifespan and among diverse groups. From there, create time and safe spaces for people to share their stories and brainstorm solutions.

Look for opportunities throughout your philanthropic portfolio

Social wellbeing — including connectedness — cuts across all areas of life, and it should cut across all areas of philanthropic work. Funders can increase their impacts by integrating social wellbeing into all of their giving. Prioritizing social wellbeing as an explicit goal of every initiative you fund is an efficient way to address social isolation and will likely deepen the overall impact of your investments.

No matter what issues you support, you can integrate strategies to strengthen social connectedness for meaningful impact. As you implement these or other recommendations, share your lessons with others. Together, we can reduce rates of social isolation, and everyone can experience the benefits of socially connected communities.

Risa Wilkerson is executive director of Healthy Places by Design. Edward Garcia is founder and executive director of the Foundation for Social Connection.

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