Public health is under fire.
Starting 2026, the picture is sharper than it was a year ago. Not because things have stabilized, but because the direction is clear. What once felt like temporary disruption has turned into sustained disinvestment in the systems that prevent disease, protect families, and save lives.
Across the globe, funding for public health is being cut quietly and consistently. Programs tied to chronic disease prevention, vaccines, disease surveillance, and pandemic preparedness are increasingly treated as optional. The result is an erosion of decades of progress, happening in real time and often without public scrutiny.
This isn’t theoretical. Billions have been pulled from global health programs. Early warning systems in the U.S. are facing cuts even as public health threats grow more complex. In humanitarian settings, funding gaps are already translating into clinic closures and workforce losses. The message is unmistakable. Public health is expected to do more with less, indefinitely.
If those gains are going to hold, silence is no longer an option. This moment calls for clarity, public pressure, and communications that make the consequences of these decisions visible.
Why communications matter now
For more than 40 years, Fenton has partnered with nonprofits, NGOs, and public institutions tackling global health challenges. From the AIDS epidemic to COVID-19, we’ve seen the same truth play out again and again. Communications are not peripheral to public health. They are part of the infrastructure.
When funding is at risk, strong communications connect policy decisions to real-world consequences, build public understanding, and create accountability before damage becomes permanent.
Here are a few strategies public health organizations can use right now.
Tell human stories, not abstractions
Data builds credibility. Stories create emotional connection and urgency.
Elevating the voices of people directly affected by public health decisions makes the stakes tangible. When audiences understand what funding cuts mean for real lives, it becomes harder to look away.
We’ve used this approach to elevate nurses and frontline health workers, helping turn lived experience into media coverage, social engagement, and broader public understanding of why these roles matter.
Own the narrative early
Earned media still shapes what the public sees, what policymakers hear, and what AI systems surface. Opinion pieces, expert commentary, and proactive pitching allow organizations to frame issues before narratives harden.
We’ve applied this approach for years with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Book, helping sustain national and local conversations about child health and well-being through consistent, credible coverage.
Use paid media with intention
Paid media works best when it’s targeted and strategic. Search, social, and connected TV allow organizations to reach specific audiences with messages that address real concerns.
When we partnered with the St. Louis County Department of Health on COVID-19 vaccination efforts, targeted digital campaigns helped drive a more than 20 percent increase in vaccinations, leading the state in immunization rates.
Design moments that travel
Events should do more than fill a calendar. When designed with a clear narrative and audience in mind, they generate coverage, partnerships, and content that lasts.
We support Hyundai’s Hope On Wheels campaign through events that raise awareness, drive investment in pediatric cancer research, and create stories that extend well beyond the day itself.
This is the moment
Public health work saves lives, but it doesn’t defend itself. When funding is threatened, the organizations that break through are the ones that speak clearly, move early, and connect their work to what people actually care about.
That’s where communications matter most.
At Fenton, we bring strategy, storytelling, media, and paid amplification together so important work doesn’t get lost in policy noise.
If your organization is facing funding pressure, preparing for a high-stakes moment, or ready to be more visible and more assertive about its impact, we should talk.