Address: 100 Pearl St., 6th Floor, West Tower, Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: 860.724.1580
Web: www.cthealth.org
Email: info@cthealth.org
The Connecticut Health Foundation is a conversion foundation, created in 1999 as part of ConnectiCare’s conversation from a nonprofit HMO to a for-profit company. From the beginning, the foundation has worked to eliminate health disparities and improve the health of Connecticut residents by changing the systems that influence everyone’s ability to live their healthiest lives. The foundation’s approaches include grantmaking, research, policy advocacy, convening, strategic communications, and leadership development. Since 2014, the foundation has focused on health equity for people of color, where the data continues to show persistent disparities.
Serving the state of Connecticut, the Connecticut Health Foundation’s mission is to improve the health of Connecticut residents. Its focus is on improving health outcomes for people of color and ensuring that all Connecticut residents have access to quality, affordable health care, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. The foundation works to change systems that affect people’s lives, with the vision of ensuring that the next generation will be free from racial and ethnic health disparities.
Program Information:
The foundation’s strategic plan includes four focus areas: expanding health care coverage; sustainable funding for community health workers; maternal health equity for people of color; and fostering the infrastructure for health equity. It funds projects with the potential to create change in the systems that influence people’s health, and much of its funding supports policy advocacy. Beginning in 2025, it has offered responsive grants to support organizations to respond to challenges related to the changing federal landscape.
Financial Information:
Total Assets: $131,504,000 (CY25)
Amount Dedicated to Health-Related Grants: $2,327,932.95 (CY25)
Health Equity Grants
- Expanding HUSKY coverage—These grants support organizations leading the coalition that advocates for expanding Medicaid coverage to people regardless of immigration status. The foundation also awards grants to smaller organizations to enable them to participate in advocacy through the coalition. ($310,000)
- Trusted messengers— Since 2020, we have awarded grants to organizations that serve as trusted messengers in their communities. In 2025, this funding supported messaging work related to changes in Medicaid eligibility. ($220,000)
- Health equity anchor organization grants—These grants support organizations that conduct outreach, address community needs, serve as trusted messengers, and engage in advocacy work about health equity issues. The grants support messaging, outreach, and advocacy related to health equity. ($250,000)
- Community health worker coalition— Connecticut passed a law in 2023 requiring Medicaid to pay for community health worker services, but funding has not yet been implemented. These grants support organizations that are leading a coalition that advocates for sustainable payment for community health worker services. ($170,000)
- Strategy and defense fund— This fund awarded responsive grants to organizations working to address challenges related to the changing federal landscape. ($292,000)
Connecticut Health Foundation and GIH
Through Grantmakers In Health, the Connecticut Health Foundation staff and board have access to a tremendous network of peers from around the country and a strong connection to information on national policy issues. The foundation’s team gained insights into how other foundations are operating, adapting, and responding to challenges in the environment. By participating in GIH conferences, webinars, and meetings, the team has learned about innovations that they can adapt to their own work, and stayed informed on critical policy issues.
Role of Philanthropy in Meeting Pressing Needs
“This is a challenging time for those of us who are focused on health equity. There is much that we can do as philanthropy to help our communities withstand the current challenges. As new Medicaid requirements take effect, for example, philanthropy can play a wide range of roles, including serving as a thought partner for state agencies implementing changes, connecting community members with state agencies to provide feedback, and ensuring that residents understand the changes and have the support to navigate them.”
–Tiffany Donelson, President and CEO, Connecticut Health Foundation