Austin-Bailey Health and Wellness Foundation (Canton, OH)
The Austin-Bailey Health and Wellness Foundation approved grants totaling $192,830 to nine nonprofit organizations and nine colleges. The foundation supports programs that promote the physical and mental well-being of the people residing in Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties in Ohio.
The foundation provides $43,000 in scholarships to students engaged in health-related studies at
Aultman College, Kent State University Stark, Kent State University Tuscarawas, Malone University, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Stark State College, University of Akron Wayne College, University of Mount Union, and Walsh University.
Those receiving grants include:
- American Red Cross—for blood drive support. ($11,700)
- Aultman Hospital—for equipment for its new cancer center. ($56,180)
- Canton Christian Home—for a wheelchair accessible van. ($12,000)
- Chapel Hill Community—for four mobile care stations. ($9,700)
- Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital—for a residency dental program at main campus and St. Paul’s Square. ($25,000)
- Rittman Fire & Rescue—for two nitronox field units and accessories. ($8,250)
- Society for Equal Access—for a modified minivan. ($12,000)
- Tuscarawas Clinic for the Working Uninsured—for physician’s assistants and clinic nurses. ($10,000)
- Wayne County Fire & Rescue Association—for farm safety training. ($5,000)
The foundation has two grant cycles each year, and welcomes grant requests that are health and wellness related. It is suggested that nonprofit organizations call the foundation office first to discuss their project or program. The deadline for submitting grants for the next cycle is June 1, 2021.
Contact: Don Sultzbach at 330.580.2380.
BHHS Legacy Foundation (Phoenix, AZ)
Since 2000, BHHS Legacy Foundation has invested more than $110 million to enhance the quality of life and health of those we serve in the Greater Phoenix, Arizona and Tri-State regions. The foundation announced $5.4 million in grant funding in 2020. More than $1.2 million of the total giving went to support nonprofit organizations and programs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID relief funding went to help nonprofits that serve essential needs such as emergency housing, rental and utility assistance, food, emergency dental, and healthcare. Many of these organizations are facing increased demand for services at the same time they are seeing decreased funding due to canceled in-person fundraising events.
COVID relief funding also helped with increased costs related to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers and the extra cleaning required to help mitigate the spread of the COVID virus.
BHHS Legacy Foundation’s support of COVID-related programs positively impacted more than 5,000 people. One project affecting thousands was funding for touchless water bottle-filling stations to ensure local students have access to safe, clean water. Funding was also provided to nonprofits for crisis intervention and assistance to people in need, including rent, utilities, AC and auto repairs, and more. BHHS Legacy Foundation also funded programs to help children in foster care acquire technology for virtual learning.
As BHHS Legacy Foundation looks forward to the end of the pandemic, it also looks to care for groups affected in unintended ways. For example, the CDC recently released grim statistics about the steady uptick in overdose deaths coinciding with COVID-19. To help families fighting addiction, BHHS Legacy Foundation provided grant funding to PAL, an organization that provides education, support and hope to parents of addicted loved ones.
The total $5.4 million in community grant funding was awarded in four strategic priority areas: programs and projects that improve access to health care ($876,997); improve community health ($511,500); expand Arizona’s health care workforce ($340,200); and strengthen and support health-related community efforts ($3,751,602).
To see a comprehensive list of the foundation and its affiliates’ grant-giving, click here.
Contact: 602.778.1200 or info@bhhslegacy.org.
The Mary Black Foundation (Spartanburg, SC)
The Mary Black Foundation and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System have created Live Healthy Spartanburg, a new collaborative with the mission to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents. Live Healthy Spartanburg represents the merging of two existing, longstanding local health collaboratives—The Road To Better Health and Spartanburg’s Way to Wellville—into one unified initiative designed to address the Spartanburg community’s health and well-being needs.
Live Healthy Spartanburg has received initial multi-year, leadership-level funding commitments from the Mary Black Foundation and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Additional funding and support from a number of local organizations committed to community health is expected to soon follow.
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System was asked to serve as the backbone organization for the program, which will be housed as a division within its Community Health department. The community-wide, all-hands-on-deck approach that has buoyed the two community health efforts for years will remain. The City of Spartanburg, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), the United Way of the Piedmont, USC Upstate, among others will ensure continued collaboration to improve community health.
Live Healthy Spartanburg will be aligned with Live Healthy South Carolina, a statewide collaborative to improve the health of all South Carolinians. Live Healthy South Carolina has created a state health assessment and a state health improvement plan. That plan highlights goals and strategies on which communities can focus so the state can make measurable health improvement by 2023.
Contact: 864.573.9500.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation (Detroit, MI)
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation awarded five research grants to Michigan researchers. The grantees are:
- Ascension St. John Hospital, Patricia Dhar—to pilot a new method of cervical health monitoring among African American women with Lupus. ($10,000)
- Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, Michelle Sahr—to examine how physician-pharmacist collaboration improves cardiovascular disease in rural communities. ($52,000)
- Michigan State University, Dr. Robin Tucker—to support the development and submission of grant proposals to fund YMCA pandemic relief programs to support families. ($52,000)
- University of Michigan, Dr. Justin Dimick—to examine private equity and non-acquired surgical practices. ($50,000)
- University of Michigan, Dr. Shawna Smith—to address depression and anxiety among Michigan community college students. ($53,000)
The foundation also awarded 14 community matching grants. Organizations that received grants include:
- Ascension St. John Hospital—to pilot a program to increase the number of diverse women trained as board-certified lactation consultants. ($44,000)
- The Caregiver Incentive Project—to implement a standardized, mentoring-based caregiver training. ($45,000)
- Family Promise of Grand Rapids—to assist 50 additional families annually, including more than 120 children, with supportive housing services, addressing physical and mental health needs and connect with community resources. ($50,000*)
- Great Lakes Recovery Center—to support the Ripple Recovery Residence for women and children in L’Anse, Michigan. ($48,571*)
- Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities—to implement culturally responsive programming to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth for school administrators, teachers, parents, and youth. ($45,000)
- Lighthouse MI—to provide onsite and in-home case management services to 16 Permanent Supportive Housing households with improving their health-related outcomes through addressing the social determinants of health. ($50,000*)
- New Destiny Pathways, Inc.—to provide an onsite case manager, who provides intensive supports as youth transition into successful adulthood and lessen adverse health experiences. ($50,000*)
- The Regents of the University of Michigan (two grants)—to implement a peer-led diabetes self-management support intervention Black men with Type 2 diabetes ($42,000), and to support the third year of funding to implement and evaluate a three-tiered model of behavioral health programming that will provide evidence-based mental health prevention-to-intervention services to all K-12 Detroit Public School Community District students. ($50,000)
- Ruth Ellis Center, Inc.—to support the onsite peer leader to meet the complex needs of LGBTQ+ young people experiencing, or at-risk for homelessness. ($50,000*)
- ShareCare of Leelanau, Inc.—to examine the value of volunteer models that support aging in place through a cost-benefit analysis. ($25,000)
- Southwest Counseling Solutions, Inc. —to support the Piquette Square coordinator who will coordinate service delivery and monitor veterans’ care coordination. ($50,000*)
- Patrick Senior Center—to support programming changes related to COVID-19. ($10,000)
- Valley Area Agency on Aging—to use telehealth to assist with coordination of agency services for frail and homebound clients with chronic diseases or complex care needs. ($45,000)
*These grants are co-funded with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Social Mission Department.
Contact: Elba Huerta at foundation@bcbsm.com.
The California Endowment
The California Endowment (TCE) will commit $100 million over the next 10 years to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations across the state in an effort to support them by providing resources to ensure the grassroots organizations can build and expand a power infrastructure that advances health equity, racial justice, and transformative solidarity.
The investment responds to the significant spike in violence towards AAPI communities reinvigorated since the start of the pandemic and the horrific mass shooting that took the lives of eight people in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian women. At the recommendation of TCE staff, the board approved doubling the foundation investments to AAPI-led power building organizations to $10 million per year expanding the state’s AAPI power infrastructure.
Over the next 10 years, TCE will strategically increase resources available to AAPI-led organizations, in alignment with the organization’s long-term commitment to power-building aimed at health equity and racial justice. The investment is intended to provide immediate support and resources to AAPI community partners on the frontlines; cultivate enduring relationships and deepen understanding of the complexity of AAPI issues; and provide resources to support AAPI anti-racist power-building strategies for long-term change.
TCE will begin to engage and provide support through the investment to AAPI-led organizations in May.
The Cannon Foundation (Concord, NC)
The Cannon Foundation approved $2,623,280 in grants across North Carolina to nonprofit organizations advancing efforts in higher education, health care, human services, and other areas.
The foundation awarded grants to support a number to topics including affordable and supportive housing, rural health, behavioral health, the arts, and the environment. Organizations throughout North Carolina received grants that focus on children, adults, vulnerable populations, and communities.
Since inception, The Cannon Foundation has distributed grant awards in excess of $316 million.
Contact: Tina Markanda at 704.786.8216 or tmarkanda@cannonfoundation.org.
Caring for Denver Foundation (Denver, CO)
Youth are experiencing profound mental health challenges that put them at higher risk of mental health and substance misuse issues. Now, Caring for Denver Foundation has approved 47 grants totaling nearly $10 million to provide earlier and greater resources to reduce crisis and increase resilience for Denver, Colorado youth coping with life stressors.
When Caring for Denver, founded by a City of Denver ordinance, first launched, Denver residents identified funding for youth as a top priority. Even before the pandemic, the share of high school students experiencing symptoms of clinical depression was on an upward trajectory, increasing to nearly 35 percent of students in 2019 (2019 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey). Addressing mental health and substance misuse needs earlier in life leads to less crisis and less need for costly services later in life.
Fifty-two youth partners informed the call for proposals, emphasizing the importance of funding innovative approaches that are youth-informed or youth-led, focus on the strengths of youth, and value culture in healing and identity.
With this investment Caring for Denver aims to:
- Reduce youth harm to self and others through addressing trauma, mental health, and substance misuse.
- Increase youth ability to demonstrate healthy resilience for coping with challenges and stresses in life.
- Increase awareness and involvement by family and allies in ways that help youth address trauma, mental health, and substance misuse.
Grantees include:
- Adoption Options
- Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization
- Art from Ashes, Inc
- Boys & Girls Clubs Metro Denver
- Casa Milagro Youth Solutions
- Centus Counseling, Consulting & Education
- Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation
- Clayton Early Learning
- Commún
- Creative Strategies for Change
- Denver Children’s Home
- Denver Health Foundation
- Denver Rescue Mission
- Denver’s Early Childhood Council
- Developmental FX
- Dream Center Denver
- From the Heart Enterprises
- Girls Inc. of Metro Denver
- Jewish Family Service of Colorado
- Judi’s House/JAG Institute
- Khesed
- Launch Network
- Lincoln Hills Cares
- Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains
- Make A Chess Move
- Mental Health Center of Denver
- Mile High 360
- Muslim Youth for Positive Impact
- Project PAVE Inc.
- Project VOYCE
- Queer Asterisk
- Rise Above Colorado
- The ROCK Center
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network
- Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation
- Second Wind Fund, Inc.
- The Spring Institute
- Star Girlz Empowerment Inc
- Struggle of Love Foundation
- Sun Valley Youth Center
- Tennyson Center for Children
- Thriving Families
- Vuela for Health
- Warren Village
- Women’s Wilderness
- Words To Power
- Youth On Record
Contact: Lorez Meinhold at 720.647.6376 or lorez@caring4denver.org.
John A. Hartford Foundation (New York, NY)
The John A. Hartford Foundation approved funding for two grants totaling up to $1,609,244 to improve care for older adults.
One urgent response grant was authorized earlier this winter to improve access to the COVID-19 vaccine for homebound older adults and individuals with disabilities. An additional grant was approved in March to support the adoption of age-friendly person-driven measures in health plans’ quality and value-based payment programs.
- Trust for America’s Health (TFAH): Ensuring Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine for Homebound Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities—to rapidly foster adoption of policies that will ensure homebound older adults and individuals with disabilities receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. This grant is co-funded with Cambia Health Foundation. (up to $150,000 for 3 months)
- National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA): Supporting Age-Friendly Health Systems: Implementing and Disseminating Person-Driven Outcome Measures—to support the National Committee for Quality Assurance in promoting use of health care quality measures that evaluate how well clinicians address “What Matters” to older adults – an essential component of the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework. ($1,459,244 for 3 years)
Contact: Clare Churchouse at 212.832.7788 or clare.churchouse@johnahartford.org.
Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Philadelphia, PA)
The Independence Blue Cross Foundation announced new funding for addiction resources in higher education through its Supporting Treatment and Overdose Prevention (STOP) initiative. In collaboration with the Association for Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE), institutions that join the effort can receive professional development and expert consulting services and apply for a foundation grant to develop or expand their collegiate recovery model. The foundation aims to expand ARHE’s model to campuses across the region with support to other schools that join the effort.
Two institutions are currently designing programs to address the needs of their student population:
- Saint Joseph’s University intends to grow their current program, The Flock, to serve more students in recovery and add a new element to support recovery ally training.
- Temple University plans to create new components of a Collegiate Recovery Model to address some unique challenges faced by students in recovery.
Support for collegiate recovery builds on the foundation’s STOP program which launched in 2017 to address issues related to substance use disorder stigma, prevention, and treatment. Since then, the foundation has invested more than $3 million in southeastern Pennsylvania to address the opioid crisis through grant funding, the promotion and expansion of safe medication disposal, the Someone You Know® de-stigmatization campaign, and research.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2019, 840,000 full-time students attending college in the United States will be in recovery. However, only 100 schools have formalized recovery programs for their students. Collegiate recovery programs are designed to meet the specific needs of students through events, mutual aid groups, and recovery resources. Other collegiate recovery research shows that students in these programs have nearly a 30 percent better graduation rate than the institution-wide average, nearly 90 percent versus 61 percent, respectively.
Tim Rabolt, Executive Director of ARHE, provides additional insight into addiction issues on college campuses in a new episode of the Someone You Know® podcast series, which will launch its second season this year focused on youth and addiction.
To learn more, click here.
Contact: Ruth Stoolman at 215.667.9537 or ruth.stoolman@ibx.com.