Kathleen Sebelius, the new secretary of health and human services, called on foundations to be the “research-and-development arm” of her agency as it seeks to improve health care.

During a speech at the Council on Foundations, Ms. Sebelius said the Obama administration wants to work with foundations to change the nation’s health system to be more efficient and inclusive.

While the money grant makers provide is key to this, she said perhaps more important is their ability to work with grass-roots charities and needy people to create a discussion about how health services should change.

These “communications connections” will be critical to the success of President Obama’s health plans. “Health-care reform won’t work if the only people engaged are inside the Beltway,” she said. “Help us help all Americans.”

Ms. Sebelius, the former governor of Kansas, said she learned about the important role foundations play in a society from her sister, who is a vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. As her agency faces problems like the H1N1 virus, she said it will need the aid of the nonprofit world.

“I see this as the beginning of a very good dialogue,” she told the audience. “You have experience we need to tackle the challenges ahead.”