News & Updates

We develop innovative approaches and tools to improve health and advance equity. Read our blog posts, announcements, and news items to learn more about our work.





A child kneeling among purple memorial flags at the International Overdose Awareness Day event in Boston Common
Capacity BuildingPolicy & Systems Change

International Overdose Awareness Day in Massachusetts: Reflections on Remembrance, Harm Reduction, and Hope

Every year, International Overdose Awareness Day creates a space for communities around the world to come together in remembrance, reflection, and action. It is a time to honor lives lost to overdose, recognize the impact…

Grantmaking

Announcing the newest cohort of Noonan Memorial Research Fund

About the program The Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Research Fund, established in 1947 by Frank M. Noonan in memory of his mother, continues its proud tradition of supporting improvements in the quality of life for…

HRiA Swirl Logo
Grantmaking

Advancing Health Equity Through Research: Announcing the newest cohort of Jeffress Trust Awardees

The Jeffress Trust Awards Program in Research Advancing Health Equity supports research that addresses the root causes of and systemic barriers to health equity across Virginia. Through Partnership/Collaborative Establishment Awards, the program provides two-year grants…

promotional image for MPHA's spring awards breakfast
Organizational updates

HRiA Changemakers Honored at Statewide Public Health Awards

Advancing public health requires partnership, persistence, and the collective leadership of individuals and organizations committed to advancing health equity. This spring, we’re proud to celebrate members of our community who embody that spirit of collaboration…

Two scientists looking at a tablet computer in a laboratory
Grantmaking

Meet the recipients of the Smith Family Awards Program for Excellence in Biomedical Research

About the program The Smith Family Awards Program for Excellence in Biomedical Research, a program of the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, has been driving medical breakthroughs by launching the careers of newly independent biomedical researchers for more than three decades….

Organizational updates

The Violence & Overdose Prevention Training for Incarcerated Young Adults Initiative: an HRiA Innovation Incubator Project

In Massachusetts, emerging adults aged 18-25 face higher rates of arrest, incarceration, and reincarceration than those of other age groups. In recent years, the state government and criminal legal system have formally recognized the significance…