Deaconess Foundation

Address: 1000 N. Vandeventer Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63113
Phone: 314-436-8001
Web: www.deaconess.org
Email: info@deaconess.org

Deaconess Foundation was formed as a grantmaking organization following the sale of the Deaconess Incarnate Word Health System, which served the St. Louis community until 1997. The Foundation set out to continue its ministry of promoting the health and well-being of the St. Louis region through grantmaking, with the mission to improve the health of the community and its people. Throughout its early the years, most of Deaconess’ grantmaking supported children- and youth-serving organizations and causes across the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area with the vision of a future where ALL children in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois are made a high priority.

In 2023, Deaconess Foundation’s Board of Trustees affirmed a new intergenerational strategic approach and aspiration of liberation in seven generations. As an institutional advocate focused on health justice and social justice, Deaconess’ strategic aspiration guides the organization to orient its abundant relationships and resources in pursuit of liberation within the next seven generations. Liberation is not meant to simply describe an outcome—rather it is an intentional and conscious movement in which our community can freely exist, dream and thrive in the absence of oppressive systems in a culture of solidarity, respect and dignity.

A ministry of the United Church of Christ, Deaconess has invested more than $100 million to improve the health of the St. Louis community since 1998. Its grants and cultivated relationships support the accelerated change in conditions through policy, advocacy, and/or organizing efforts building and wielding power to transform systems to respond to the will of the people.

Deaconess Foundation serves the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois region. Its advocacy and grantmaking footprint includes St. Louis City, St. Louis, Jefferson, St. Charles and Franklin Counties in Missouri and Madison, and St. Clair and Monroe Counties in Illinois. Deaconess Foundation envisions a community that values the health and well-being of all and gives priority attention to the most invisibilized.

Program Information:

Deaconess provides flexible, general operating funding to nonprofit organizations in support of coalition and base building, grassroots advocacy, community organizing, public policy development/change, and advocacy efforts that pursue positive systemic change for the improved health and wellness of all people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Financial Information:

Total Assets: $53,995,548 (FY24)
Amount Dedicated to Health-Related Grants: $1,980,603 (FY24)

Special Initiatives and/or Representative Health and Human Services Grants

Seeding the Future Grants — These general operating funds are awarded for one year to organizations with proposals that align with Deaconess’ intended impact. Funding supports organizational and civic infrastructure expansion, advancement of public policies, and/or efforts impacting systems transformation through an intergenerational approach for the improved health and wellness of people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois. This grant is designed to cultivate a partnership pipeline for the Movement Transformation Cohort. ($20,000)

Movement Transformation Grants — Members of the Movement Transformation Cohort receive annual grants over a three-year period for general operating support. These grants provide a stable source of flexible funding to further support the organizational and civic infrastructure expansion, advancement of public policies, and/or efforts impacting systems transformation funded by the Seeding the Future Grants. ($20,000-$30,000 per year)

Nursing Scholarship Grants — The Deaconess Nursing Scholarship Program honors the nursing heritage of the Deaconess mission by supporting local nursing students with demonstrated financial need. These grants are awarded to students working towards degrees in nursing who reside in St. Louis City, or St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles counties in Missouri or Madison, Monroe, or St. Clair counties in Illinois. These scholarships are renewable through graduation or up to 10 semesters and are administered in partnership with The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. (Up to $15,000 per year)

Racial Healing + Justice Fund — This fund exists as a community-stewarded commitment to change the conditions of systemic racism that reinforce disparities and endanger lives and to heal the core of the community. Deaconess Foundation, Forward Through Ferguson, and Missouri Foundation for Health established the Fund to invest in healing community trauma. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported the launch of the Fund with a matching grant, and local and national foundations joined the pool of participating funders. ($8,000-$50,000)

Seniors Community Revitalization & Development Fund — This fund (Seniors Community Fund) is a community-stewarded Fund that aims to improve the public health system infrastructure to better serve residents 55 years of age and older and promote transparency and accountability. Grants are given to organizations, projects, and initiatives addressing three priority areas identified by seniors: transportation, safety, and health navigation support for seniors in the Greater St. Louis, Missouri region and nearby counties in Illinois. The Seniors Community Fund is in partnership with the Community Health Commission of Missouri. (Up to $30,000)