Connecticut Health Foundation (Hartford, CT)
Connecticut Health Foundation has given grants to Ledge Light Health District in New London and the Norwalk Health Department. Each will receive $100,000 to demonstrate the value of community health workers (CHWs) in a public health setting who can serve as generalists, with the flexibility to support community members in many ways.
CHWs build trust with their communities, improve communication to ensure needs are being met, and link community members to programs that aim to improve health outcomes. CHWs at both health departments will reflect the communities they serve—they will be bilingual and have lived experience—and address the challenges that impact those who experience the most disparities. Individuals in these positions will also help community members navigate barriers to their health by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Often, community health worker initiatives and grant funding are focused on addressing specific health conditions. However, CHWs and health department officials have said their services are most effective when they can work to address a person’s needs in a more holistic way. CHWs supported through this initiative will serve as generalists, able to support the broad needs of their communities.
The health departments will collect data on the impact of CHWs on health outcomes and the return on investment for CHWs in this capacity, adding to the large body of research on the value of CHWs with specific findings related to CHWs serving as generalists within health departments. The health departments will share their findings with other local health departments across the state as part of efforts to achieve sustainable funding for community health workers and expanded services by these workers.
These grants were among 39 awarded by the foundation this quarter, totaling $1,442,000. The other grantees are:
- Charter Oak Health Center—for the final year of a three-year pilot program for CHWs to improve outcomes for children with asthma in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut area. They provide interventions to decrease emergency department visits and school absenteeism. ($150,000)
- Christian Community Action—for Mothers and Others for Justice’s HEALTH (Helping Everyone Achieve Lifelong Trusted Healthcare) project. ($25,000)
- The Connecticut Hospice Inc.—to evaluate the efficacy of a bilingual CHW in underserved communities to support the work of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience program. ($25,000)
- Connecticut Legal Services—to support its efforts to create The Medicaid Advocacy Collective which will operate with a health equity lens to recruit coalition participants, build consensus around a Medicaid advocacy agenda, and develop shared messaging for advocates. ($50,000)
- Connecticut News Project—to support coverage of health issues, policy, affordability, equity, and other health-related topics. The foundation provides grants to media organizations because news reporting on health care provides insights, informs debates, and ensures that critical topics reach broad audiences. The funding is awarded with an understanding that the journalism will be independent, and the grant will play no role in editorial decisions about health coverage. ($225,000 for three years)
- Connecticut Voices for Children—to relaunch its HUSKY manual, which provides information about eligibility for the state’s Medicaid program. The work involves building relationships with state agencies, policymakers, and advocates to understand the current Medicaid advocacy landscape. ($20,000)
- Cross Street Training and Academic Center—for advocacy work related to health coverage for low-income residents of Connecticut. ($65,000)
- CT Community Nonprofit Alliance—for the second year of its Alliance Advocacy Leadership Development Cohort, which provides professionals from the health and human services sectors advocacy training on policy issues that impact the communities they serve. ($30,000)
- Enrich Health LLC—to open a perinatal care center that will integrate lifestyle medicine, doula support, and community health workers in a group model of prenatal care. ($25,000)
- Family Centers Inc.—to hire a consultant to develop an evaluation model to track the impact of doula services on maternal and infant health outcomes. ($21,000)
- Hartford Deportation Defense—to advocate for HUSKY expansion to all income-eligible families in Connecticut regardless of their immigration status. Advocacy efforts will include education, training, and outreach to new immigrant populations in Hartford, Connecticut that have not been active in the HUSKY 4 Immigrants campaign. ($50,000)
- Health Equity Solutions—to support Health Equity Solutions in growing its Health Equity for the People by the People coalition. The coalition will educate participants on medical debt as a critical health equity issue. ($35,000)
- Khmer Health Advocates—to develop a data collection tool and training curriculum that can be used by community health workers to gather qualitative and quantitative information about their interventions with community members. ($50,000)
- Parents Available to Help—for its Family Caregivers as Community Leaders Project which offers family caregivers training and certification to become community health workers. ($25,000)
- Urban Alliance—to support a study that collects data on the unique barriers related to accessing health insurance and health care that disproportionately affect households of color with incomes just above the Medicaid eligibility threshold. ($35,000)
Health coverage is an important part of achieving good health outcomes. Efforts to expand HUSKY coverage to people in Connecticut regardless of immigration status have been led by the HUSKY 4 Immigrants coalition. To support coalition efforts, these grants were awarded to organizations that are committed to engaging in advocacy work focused on coverage expansion:
- Building One Community ($20,000)
- Center for Children’s Advocacy ($10,000)
- Comunidades Sin Fronteras ($10,000)
- Connecticut Worker Center ($20,000)
- HAVEN Free Clinic ($10,000)
- Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services Inc. ($20,000)
- United Action Connecticut Inc. ($10,000)
The Patricia Baker Awards for health equity policy and advocacy, named for the foundation’s founding President and CEO, are intended to support grassroots organizations that are led by people of color and focus on work that advances health equity. This year’s grantees are:
- Full Citizens Coalition ($30,000)
- Hartford Health Initiative ($30,000)
- Ledge Light Health District (Black Health Collective) ($30,000)
- New Britain Racial Justice Coalition ($30,000)
- Nonprofit Accountability Group ($30,000)
- PT Partners ($30,000)
The following grants were awarded as part of the Sanford Cloud Awards for Diverse Advocacy, Policy, and Equity, designed to advance health equity for people of color by investing in initiatives led by graduates of the foundation’s Health Leadership Fellows Program and Academy for Health Equity Advocacy and Leadership. The award is named in honor of Sanford Cloud Jr., the foundation’s former board chair.
- Advocacy to Legacy—to support the advocacy efforts to limit the sale of tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis products within a certain distance from K-12 schools and daycares. ($10,000)
- Greater Bridgeport Area Prevention Program—to support the Restoring Hope: HIV, Health, and Healing Conference. The conference will bring together HIV/AIDS experts to share research and resources to help mitigate the effects of HIV and increase the use of PrEP. ($20,000)
- Lucinda’s House—to support a project that uses the arts to bring awareness of women of color’s experiences of maternal health care. The project is designed to empower women to advocate for the care they need and for the improvement of maternal and infant health outcomes. ($11,000)
- Mount Aery Development Corporation—to engage a consultant to work with a Head Start collaborative that includes the Alliance for Community Empowerment, Optimus Health, and Mount Aery Development Corporation. The consultant will provide training on diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice for Head Start parents, staff, and teachers. ($10,000)
- Yale New Haven Health—to support coalition and network building of the Healthier Greater New Haven Partnership, a group of health departments and districts, community action agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, business owners, and community residents. ($20,000)
Information is critical for people’s health and the messenger is as important as the message itself. Messages are far more effective when they are delivered by trusted sources. Most recently, the foundation awarded trusted messenger grants to organizations sharing information about changes related to health care coverage. They are:
- Child And Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut ($15,000)
- Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut ($15,000)
- New Opportunities Inc. ($15,000)
- PT Partners ($15,000)
Contact: Gaby Molina at gaby@cthealth.org or 860.724.1580.
Dogwood Health Trust (Asheville, NC)
Dogwood Health Trust made an additional $20 million in commitments in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina (WNC). This third round of funding builds upon earlier combined investments of more than $50 million, bringing Dogwood’s total Helene relief funding to just over $70 million to date.
This round of funding builds upon Dogwood’s commitment to support both short-term relief and long-term recovery throughout the region. It includes continued focus and expansion of financial support for small businesses in WNC’s hardest hit areas, as well as investments to further support long-standing commitments to early childhood education, out-of-school time programming, and community behavioral health services.
In October, Dogwood provided a $10 million lead grant to the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative (WNCSBI), led by Appalachian Community Capital. Recognizing the continued need among small businesses in the region, and the overwhelming response to the first round of immediate relief grants, Dogwood is contributing an additional $10 million to the WNCSBI. This grant will allow WNCSBI to accommodate more of the applications that have already been submitted. Qualifying businesses can receive grants of up to $25,000 to offset physical or financial damage incurred from Hurricane Helene.
To preserve the availability of quality early care and education in communities affected by the storm, Dogwood has committed just over $3.5 million toward stabilizing the early childhood education provider workforce. To help distribute these funds quickly throughout the region, Dogwood is making these grants to all eight local Smart Start partnerships in WNC. This will help providers retain their teachers and replace lost revenue from center closures following Hurricane Helene.
To further support early care and education in the region, Dogwood is working with Home Grown, a national collaborative of funders committed to improving the quality of and access to home-based child care, through a $75,000 grant to the Home-Based Child Care Emergency Fund for Hurricane and Severe Weather Response. Another $660,000 in grants are being provided to 27 Out-of-School-Time partners within Dogwood’s WNC After 3 PM Collaborative that are working in the districts hardest hit by Helene.
With increased need for mental and behavioral health services after the storm, All Souls Counseling Center will receive $300,000 to expand mental health counseling, crisis comfort, and outreach to communities deeply impacted by loss, grief, and trauma caused by Hurricane Helene in WNC. Vecinos will receive $500,000 for the opening of its new clinic, delivering services to those experiencing loss, increased health issues, property damage, joblessness, and a lack of insurance. They will also help people access federal disaster resources.
Rent relief and affordable housing continue to be pressing and long-term needs in Western North Carolina. United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County will receive $500,000 to support immediate rent relief efforts managed by local partners in the region actively doing this work. For the long-term, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Government will receive $150,400 to expand the number of communities they can support as part of Carolina Across 100 – Our State, Our Homes, an 18-month program that seeks to improve access to and availability of affordable housing in North Carolina.
Nonprofit leaders and organizations diligently and selflessly serve on the frontlines of health, human, and social services each day. Recognizing that many of these leaders sacrificed significantly after the storm, Dogwood is providing local active grantee organizations that meet certain criteria a “Care” grant of $12,500 that they can use to support, celebrate, and care for staff members who have gone above and beyond to help the region recover. Dogwood has committed a total of $2.75 million for this work.
Lastly, with the increased needs among individuals with lower incomes recovering from the storm, Dogwood is giving a $1 million grant to WNC Bridge Foundation to support individual relief efforts in WNC in 2025. WNC Bridge will also contribute funds to this effort. Additional information about criteria will be shared in the new year.
For more information about Dogwood’s Hurricane Helene Response, click here.
Contact: Erica Allison at 828.358.4867 or media@formationpr.com.
The Duke Endowment (Charlotte, NC)
On the foundation’s 100th anniversary, The Duke Endowment’s Trustees announced their intent to distribute up to $5 billion in grants across North Carolina and South Carolina over the next 15 years.
This announcement, which echoes the Endowment’s $5 billion in grantmaking over the past 100 years, represents a continued commitment to founder James B. Duke’s vision of using philanthropy to enrich lives and strengthen communities in the Carolinas. The announcement culminates a yearlong celebration of the Endowment’s centennial.
The intent to invest up to $5 billion in grants equates to an increase of about $1 billion over what the Endowment is currently projected to award in the next 15 years. The Endowment’s grantmaking will continue to support child and family well-being, health care, higher education, and rural United Methodist churches and communities, as directed by Mr. Duke at the foundation’s creation in 1924.
Based on its current assets, the Endowment would expect to make grants of about $4 billion over the next 15 years. Endowment President Rhett N. Mabry said the planned $1 billion in additional dollars will bolster giving in the Endowment’s existing grantmaking strategies in its four program areas and special initiatives, without creating a new grantmaking fund or stream.
Contact: Eric Frazier at 704.969.2103 or efrazier@tde.org.
The Foundation for a Healthy High Point (High Point, NC)
The Foundation for a Healthy High Point announced Fall 2024 grant awards totaling $1,056,966. The local efforts will address Medicaid expansion, behavioral health, collective impact initiatives, early childhood development, food security, teen workforce development, and emergency relief for local nonprofits adversely impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The approved Fall 2024 grant recipients are:
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater High Point—to support a workforce development program based on curriculum developed and tested by the national affiliate organization, paired with workshops led by local skilled professionals and job shadowing opportunities. ($50,000)
- Caring Services—to expand staff capacity to enroll and manage newly eligible Medicaid patients. This new dedicated role will focus specifically on assisting clients to navigate the Medicaid enrollment process and will follow up with clients to ensure they are accessing available services. ($50,000)
- Caring Services—to expand the program by enabling it to serve three new audiences including: individuals who need outpatient substance use disorder services but do not need transitional housing; families who have been affected by addiction; and individuals who have had traumatic experiences or are diagnosed with a trauma-related disorder. ($170,000)
- GenerationEd—to support a new position for a Medicaid Enrollment Specialist who will help Nurse Family Partnership clients to complete the Medicaid enrollment process. ($50,000)
- Greater High Point Food Alliance—to support it during its leadership transition through a portion of staff salary for the Executive Director and operational expenses for the Greater Guilford Food Finder App and distribution of the Community Resource Guide. ($200,000)
- Growing the Distance—to support start-up costs for the afterschool program to offer a kindergarten preparatory program, Bright Beginnings, for three- and four-year-olds. Costs include educational materials, classroom setup materials, and staff salaries. ($25,000)
- Mental Health Associates of the Triad—to support four new positions, including two positions focused on community outreach and education in a partnership between MHA and Triad Adult & Pediatric Medicine to establish stronger systems for Medicaid eligibility screening and enrollment and care coordination among the partners. ($322,002)
- Ready for School, Ready for Life—to support the 10-year initiative to build a system of care to support children ages 0-8 and their families in Guilford County, North Carolina through professional services that help to strengthen its backbone functions. ($50,000)
- A Simple Gesture—to support the creation of an awareness campaign focused on two tools that increase access to available food resources in Guilford County, North Carolina. ($50,000)
- The University of North Carolina Greensboro—to increase awareness and understanding of Medicaid expansion and eligibility for the immigrant population. ($44,964)
- YMCA of High Point, Inc.—to expand Y Readers which helps to mitigate learning loss and support students to read at grade level by third grade. ($45,000)
In addition to the 11 Impact Grants, the foundation also funded nine small grants including:
- Caring Services—to upgrade technology and expand program capacity. ($7,367)
- Greater HP Food Alliance—to support the Executive Director transition and recruitment. ($10,000)
- Guilford Adult Health—to support the High Point Behavioral Health Advocacy Workgroup transition and sustainability. ($10,000)
- Guilford Education Alliance (High Point Schools Partnership)—to engage youth enrichment providers in a collective impact initiative. ($10,000)
- Lydia House Inc.—to provide capacity building support and to increase job readiness skills among low-income, minority women. ($10,000)
- Mental Health Associates of the Triad—to support a Mental Health Matters Lunch and Learn series. ($9,800)
- Partners Ending Homelessness—for the Igniting High Point to End Homelessness Summit. ($10,000)
- Senior Resources of Guilford—for medically tailored nutritional support to seniors. ($10,000)
- Sister Circle International—to support a job readiness and career development program for underserved women. ($10,000)
The Foundation awarded $100,000 in emergency relief to organizations adversely impacted by Hurricane Helene. Funding will help replenish local resources that were diverted to the West in response to Hurricane Helene. Grants were awarded to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC ($60,000), A Simple Gesture ($20,000), and Backpack Beginnings ($20,000).
Last year, the foundation funded 29 projects for $1,803,886 in new grant awards.
Contact: Curtis Holloman at 336.822.7740 or cholloman@healthyhighpoint.org.
Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (New York, NY)
The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) is announcing $2.4 million in grants to address the opioid and overdose crisis among at-risk populations across the United States. The funding will be allocated to eight organizations working to combat youth overdose, improve outcomes for families impacted by perinatal substance use disorder, and increase access to care for underserved communities.
Supporting Children and Adolescents
- Boston Children’s Hospital—to conduct a national survey on language used by youth to describe behaviors that put them at risk of fentanyl exposure, aiming to develop innovative screening tools and prevention strategies. ($402,626)
- American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)—to enhance adolescent care in emergency departments through developing improved protocols for treating opioid use disorder and administering life-saving medications like naloxone and buprenorphine. ($399,999)
- Opportunity Labs—to develop strategies for K-12 schools to combat the youth overdose crisis, fostering safer environments for students nationwide. ($156,113)
Addressing Perinatal Substance Use Disorders
- Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP)—to help train maternal and child health providers to address perinatal substance use disorder, disseminate best practices, and address barriers to care through national trainings and a centralized resource database. This project is co-funded with the Perigee Fund. ($332,945)
- Friends Research Institute—to expand the “Doing Right By Birth” program, which aims to reduce unnecessary child welfare interventions and promote recovery through improved hospital reporting policies and health champion training. ($74,953)
Expanding Access to Treatment
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing—to develop a comprehensive workforce development toolkit for Peer Recovery Support Services professionals, addressing issues such as low pay, burnout, and limited career advancement. This toolkit will be piloted at 30 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics before its national launch. ($785,000)
- The Health and Reentry Project (HARP)—to support state Medicaid agencies in implementing evidence-based care for individuals with opioid use disorder transitioning out of prisons and jails. ($224,155)
- Public Health Institute—to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder in emergency departments nationwide through the Bridge program, building on previous funding from FORE. ($44,000)
To learn more, click here.
John A. Hartford Foundation (New York, NY)
The John A. Hartford Foundation approved grants totaling $5,047,896 to promote comprehensive dementia care, support family caregivers, and develop leadership and advocacy to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse aging population.
- American Society on Aging (ASA)—building on the pilot phase of ASA RISE, it will continue to promote equity through a modern and sustainable fellowship program to strengthen an increasingly diverse aging sector. ($409,591 for three years)
- The Diverse Elders Coalition (National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, National Hispanic Council on Aging, National Indian Council on Aging, and SAGE: Advocacy and Services for LGBTQ+ Elders)—to transition its “Caring for Those Who Care” training curriculum to SAGECare to expand its reach to a broader audience and provide long-term sustainability. ($241,440)
- Education Development Center & University of California, Los Angeles—to support a partnership between the Education Development Center, UCLA, and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging to ensure that people with dementia and their caregivers receive high-quality, evidence-based care. ($2,596,865 for three years)
- National Alliance for Caregiving—to support the next phase of its Act On RAISE Family Caregiving Advocacy Campaign. NAC has three main goals: increasing Medicare-funded caregiver training, advocating for federal funding for the Older Americans Act and caregiving programs, and improving awareness and access to financial resources. ($1,800,000 for three years)
Contact: Clare Churchouse at 212.832.7788 or clare.churchouse@johnahartford.org.
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (Millburn, NJ)
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (HFNJ) awarded $3,515,084 in grants to 11 New Jersey nonprofit organizations in its fourth quarter of giving in 2024. The grants include two major gifts to area hospitals, including a $1,250,000 multi-year grant to Trinitas Regional Medical Center and a $1,000,000 multi-year grant to Overlook Medical Center.
The largest award of the quarter is a $1,250,000 commitment (to be paid over three years as a $750,000 grant and up to $500,000 in matching funds) to Trinitas Regional Medical Center to modernize its Cardiac Catheterization Lab. The renovation will include the purchase of two Philips Flex-Arm devices, which provide surgeons with greater clarity of vision while offering patients a reduced amount of radioactivity. Trinitas anticipates that the new equipment will remain in service for more than a decade and will lead to a 30 percent increase in cardiac catheterization patient volume.
The other large hospital gift announced this quarter is a three-year, $1,000,000 grant to Overlook Medical Center to create new mental health services for children and teens. This grant will fund the creation of an HFNJ Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center, which will be part of a larger effort at Atlantic Health that will bring together intensive outpatient services, partial hospitalization services, and more. The Center will provide children with stabilizing mental health care for those who are in a mental health crisis and referrals to appropriate levels of care.
The award to Overlook is one of two multi-year grants awarded this cycle. KinderSmile will receive $450,000 over three years to fund its oral health program. KinderSmile brings much-needed oral health services directly to Newark schools, including education, nutritional counseling, dental exams, cleanings, and treatments. Over the course of the three-year project, KinderSmile will pilot the application silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in the school setting to arrest the progression of decay and as a preventative for healthy teeth, and will monitor patients’ progress throughout the three year period.
Other grants awarded this quarter address a wide spectrum of community needs. A $175,000 grant to Jewish Vocational Services will fund an employment training program for the health professions, helping individuals advance their careers while also filling gaps in the healthcare workforce. Imagine, A Center for Coping With Loss will receive $100,000 to support a third year of a program aiming to change the culture of grief in Newark—moving from their work building up grief support services in Newark schools to partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club of Newark and After School All Stars to bring more support to the community. Integrity House will receive $85,000 to support the second year of its Creative Arts Initiative, which engages clients with substance use disorders in artistic practices such as drawing, writing, and storytelling to aide in their recovery journeys.
The full list of the grants awarded in the fourth quarter of 2024 is as follows:
- Trinitas Foundation—for the Healthcare Foundation of NJ Cardiac Cath Lab at Trinitas. ($1,250,000, broken down into $750,000 in a direct grant and up to $500,000 in matching funds)
- Overlook Foundation—for Adolescent Behavioral Health Services. ($1,000,000 over three years)
- KinderSmile—for the Oral Health Program ($450,000 over three years)
- Jewish Vocational Services—for Healthcare Employment Pathways ($175,000)
- Opportunity Project—to expand programs and upgrade clubhouse for Persons with Brain Injury and their Families ($140,000)
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan NJ—for year three of the Abortion Patient Navigation Program ($125,290)
- YDC—for year three of working with At-Risk Youth to Build Social Emotional Resilience ($114,795)
- Imagine, A Center for Coping With Loss—for year three of Building Grief Support for Our Children Who Can’t Reach Us. ($100,000)
- Integrity House—for year two of the Creative Arts Initiative ($85,000)
- Casa for Children of Essex County—for year two of Awareness to Action: Scaling Trauma-Informed Advocacy for Stronger Impact ($50,000)
- Best Buddies—for year two of Best Buddies in NJ School Friendship/Inclusion Program ($25,000)
To learn more, click here.
Nemours Children’s Health (Wilmington, DE)
Nemours Children’s Health announced significant investments in pediatric and maternal and child health in Central Florida and Delaware.
Over the next four years, Nemours Children’s Health will invest $300 million in Central Florida to meet growing needs for highest-quality pediatric care. The plan consists of three new buildings on the Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida campus, including an expansion of the pediatric hospital’s Emergency Department, Imaging Department, and additional inpatient beds and observation rooms; an expanded surgery center with six new operating rooms and new patient exam rooms; and a new administrative building.
Nemours Children’s Health also announced investments in Delaware, including plans for a groundbreaking Maternal and Fetal Health Program, expansion of its neonatology, cancer, and cardiology programs, and the revitalization of the historic Institute building on the Alfred I. duPont Campus in Wilmington, Delaware. Investments in these projects will total $130 million in 2025—the largest one-year capital investment in Delaware in Nemours history.
Nemours will expand its Advanced Delivery Program at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware into a nationally leading, state-of-the-art Maternal and Fetal Health Program. Nemours plans to expand the Advanced Delivery Program at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware to include four new labor and delivery birthing suites, eight new antepartum and postpartum rooms, and three operating rooms that can be used for both fetal and maternal care.
Nemours commitment to a more comprehensive maternal-fetal health strategy has attracted distinguished specialists to expand its in utero diagnostic and surgical interventions. Three highly accomplished maternal-fetal medicine specialists will be joining the Nemours team over the next 15 months: Eric P. Bergh, MD, Julie Moldenhauer, MD, FACOG, FACMG, and Christina Paidas Teefey, MD, PMH-C.
Dr. Bergh will collaborate closely with the Advanced Delivery Program and Delaware executive team to expand Nemours existing care portfolio. Dr. Moldenhauer and Dr. Paidas Teefey will work with the Florida maternal-fetal medicine teams to offer highly specialized care in Florida.
In Neonatology, Delaware’s only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will be expanding in 2025, adding 14 new inpatient rooms. With this expansion, the NICU will house 45 beds as a contiguous unit. With the support of a generous donation by the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation, Nemours plans to open the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders in early 2025. Spanning 24,000 square feet, the first phase of the Moseley Foundation Institute will feature 24 inpatient beds reflecting a family-centered state-of-the-art design that overlooks the beautiful gardens of the Nemours Estate to promote healing and recovery. The Moseley Foundation Institute will also feature a 19,000-square-foot outpatient Day Hospital and Infusion Center. In addition to providing a patient-centered care experience, the outpatient area is designed to foster clinical trial participation to advance the treatment of children with cancer, sickle cell disease, and other blood disorders.
Nemours has also named two distinguished new leaders to advance its Cardiology practice: Aaron W. Eckhauser, MD, MS, will become chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and executive director of the Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center in the Delaware Valley, and Mark Twite, MA, MB, BChir, FRCP, will be chief of Cardiac Anesthesia and co-director of the Nemours Cardiac Center.
Finally, Nemours will continue to revitalize the original Alfred I. duPont Institute on its Wilmington, Delaware campus as a state-of-the-art administrative office building, while paying homage to its origin as the founding A.I. duPont Institute. The Institute opened in 1940 as a children’s orthopedic hospital and was the original health care structure funded by the Nemours Foundation.
The renovations to the Alfred I. duPont Institute will preserve the building’s core architectural elements and maintain a direct connection to clinic spaces in the duPont Pavilion. The project includes an expanded, state-of-the-art Simulation Center to provide hands-on, interactive pediatric simulation experiences in a safe, realistic environment. This collaborative teaching and education enhance technical skills for care providers across the organization, improving the quality of care and leading to better outcomes.
Contact: Shelley Meadowcroft at 302.551.9315 or shelley.meadowcroft@nemours.org.
Point32Health Foundation (Canton, MA)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan announced a $15 million grant commitment to social and racial justice over the next five years through its philanthropic arm, the Point32Health Foundation. Grants totaling more than $9.5 million were approved by the foundation board this week with an additional $5.4 million to be granted.
These social and racial justice investments are part of a broader strategy to improve conditions for older people, build community power, promote healthier lives, and advance equitable communities. Through the multi-year commitments, the foundation ensures there are dependable resources to advance unique and community centered solutions. In addition to the social and racial justice investment, another $2.1 million in new grants will go to 18 organizations supporting advocacy and policy work for older adults.
The grants will be provided to the following nonprofit organizations:
- Alzheimer’s Association of Connecticut—to advance public policy to ensure equitable access to education, care, and support underrepresented and underserved populations and other communities. ($130,000 for three years)
- The Asian Community Fund—to support efforts to power community-led Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) coalitions and capacity building in the region’s AAPI nonprofit sector. ($1 million for five years)
- Asian American Civic Association—to expand community engagement efforts with immigrant populations and individuals with low incomes through community forums on housing, cybercrimes, hate crimes, neighborhood safety, community health, and addiction. ($50,000 for two years)
- Boston Area Gleaners—to improve access to healthy local food and reduce food waste through gleaning and to create new markets for locally grown produce for people with low incomes through Boston Food Hub coordination and Community Supported Agriculture. ($50,000)
- Boston Women’s Fund—to support movements advancing racial, economic, social, and gender justice in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. ($750,000 for five years)
- Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness—to support its role as a backbone organization for the state’s collective impact initiative, Connecticut CAN End Homelessness, to advance policy and system change for an effective homeless response system and to ensure safe, affordable housing. ($210,000 for three years)
- Connecticut Urban Opportunity Collaborative—to support collaborative initiatives with Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, The Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to invest in resident leadership through a guaranteed income program. ($180,000 for three years)
- The Equality Fund—to support community-based and community-led organizations that seek to lift and strengthen Greater Boston, Massachusetts’ LGBTQ+ community. ($1 million for five years)
- Fairfield County’s Community Foundation—to support investments in community leaders’ capacity to advance policy and systems change through advocacy, organizing, civic engagement, and safe spaces for peer learning among individuals leading equity work in government. ($450,000 for five years)
- Farmsteads of New England—to foster social connection and promote healthy eating and independence for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities in Hillsborough and Epping, New Hampshire. ($20,000)
- Gather—to expand fresh food distribution and reduce hunger in the Greater Seacoast Region of New Hampshire. ($40,000)
- Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston—to support material development and design of the healthy aging reports; infographics for the five New England states; and updated website. ($96,045 for two years)
- Granite State Organizing Project—to strengthen community leadership in the Upper Valley and Claremont region of older adults and those with disabilities to identify solutions to community problems, collaborate with community leaders, and advocate to advance policy priorities, including affordable and accessible housing. ($146,360 for two years)
- Hartford Foundation for Public Giving—to support civic and resident-led engagement to advance local community organizing and advocacy and develop opportunities for collective action. ($500,000 for five years)
- Haymarket People’s Fund—to support early-stage efforts of smaller groups making significant strides towards community change throughout New England. ($250,000 for five years)
- In Her Presence—to build community and social connection by supporting older adult immigrant women to lead initiatives across communities and generations. (150,000 for three years)
- The Latino Equity Fund—to support advocacy and grantmaking to Latine-led and serving organizations throughout the Commonwealth. ($1 million for five years)
- Maine Association for New Americans—to improve culturally responsive immigrant mental health services through peer-support initiatives and increased cross-cultural connection in Greater Portland, Maine. ($90,000 for three years)
- Maine Community Foundation—to strengthen the professional capacity and networks of nonprofit leaders of color through leadership training and equity grantmaking. ($350,000 for five years)
- Maine Initiatives—to cultivate social, economic, and environmental justice through support to grassroots leadership in Maine communities to engage in participatory grantmaking, convening cohorts, and centering the voice and vision of communities of color and immigrants. ($425,000 for five years)
- Massachusetts Food System Collaborative—to convene and educate food system stakeholders and networks to engage in policy and advocacy to increase access to healthy food and build an equitable, sustainable, and resilient local food system in Massachusetts. ($240,000 for three years)
- Massachusetts Law Reform Institute—to support policy change and advocacy efforts to expand access to SNAP and other nutrition programs for both older adults and immigrant families. ($360,000 for three years)
- Massachusetts Public Health Alliance—to support capacity to lead advocacy and community mobilization campaigns to transform the local public health system and advance policy for a healthier built environment with a focus on critical health equity and healthy aging issues. ($290,000 for three years)
- NAMI New Hampshire—to improve the lives of older adults and caregivers affected by mental illness and suicide through support, education, and advocacy. ($225,000 for three years)
- New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund—to support capacity building for Black and Brown nonprofit leaders to grow their skills in leadership, fundraising, and overall confidence. ($1 million for five years)
- New England Grassroots Environment Fund—to launch a Federal Funding Hub to reduce barriers to resources and amplify federal funding strategies that advance environmental justice solutions for and with disinvested communities in New England. ($250,000 for five years)
- New Futures—to support community engagement, policy analysis, and strategic communication to influence the implementation of the state’s newly established System of Care for Healthy Aging. ($385,000 for two years)
- New Hampshire Center for Justice and Equity—to foster connections and improve systems by elevating and amplifying the power in communities of color in New Hampshire through community building, organizing, policy advocacy, and capacity building. ($500,000 for five years)
- New Hampshire Democracy Fund—to protect voting rights and fair elections, increase civic engagement, and build local leadership capacity in New Hampshire. ($500,000 for five years)
- Niweskok—to restore sacred relationships between Indigenous people and ancestral land and the right to food and relationship to the earth through the creation of Wabanaki Food Hub, centering Wabanaki elder cultural expertise. ($140,000 for three years)
- Project Bread—to elevate the voices of older adults experiencing systemic barriers in accessing healthy, affordable food to inform development of the Make Hunger History State Plan to End Hunger in Massachusetts. ($35,000)
- Resources for Organizing and Social Changing—to build and support a movement for nonviolent social change that educates and activates the power of people in Maine through grassroots community organizing. ($150,000 for five years)
- RI Elder Info—to expand and update online resources for older adults, caregivers, and professionals who serve them with focus on current guardianship policies and services. ($20,000)
- Somali Bantu Community Association—to preserve the cultural identity of Maine’s immigrant and refugee communities through sustainable food production, promotion of economic well-being, and stronger community advocacy services. ($120,000 for three years)
- Supporting Organizing Work Connecticut—to support collaborative, statewide organizing capacity, and infrastructure that centers people most directly impacted by injustice and inequity and to improve organizing ecosystem and talent pipeline. ($20,000)
- Village Common of Rhode Island—to expand the Village Common’s reach in the state by increasing volunteer coordination and the number of older adults with access to a “village” for support and to strengthen the network. ($40,000)
- Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness—to strengthen community-driven, culturally centered mental health, and healing initiatives for Wabanaki communities while honoring cultural knowledge, cultivating innovation, and collaboration. ($180,000 for three years)
- Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts—to support multi-year unrestricted funding across Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties in Massachusetts. ($750,000 for five years)
Contact: Allie Richards at allie.richards@point32health.org.
Washington Square Health Foundation (Chicago, IL)
Washington Square Health Foundation (WSHF) awarded a total of approximately $1 million in grants, forgiveness of PRI principal, and Program Related Investments to promote and maintain access to adequate health care for all people in the Chicago, Illinois area regardless of race, sex, creed, or financial need.
Grant highlights from this year include:
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago—to develop a program to enhance pediatric emergency readiness of multiple area hospitals through simulation training for health care providers which employs a multi-modal approach providing training of critical knowledge and skills.
- Breakthrough Urban Ministries—to develop a peer-support program for unhoused men and women to provide education and support in problem-solving, self-management skills, and holistic wellness.
- ChesedChicago—to meet increased demand for food distribution by the food pantry with an additional freezer and a refrigerated truck.
- Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center—to develop therapy groups focusing on developing healthy relationships and positive coping skills to support adolescent African American and Hispanic girls in Chicago, Illinois.
- Chicago Hearing Society—to upgrade audiology testing equipment to increase precision in fitting hearing aids and improving patient satisfaction.
- Gilda’s Club Chicago—to provide one-on-one clinical counseling at no cost to individuals who are facing a cancer diagnosis or providing direct caregiving for a loved one who has been diagnosed.
- Haymarket Center—to improve patient outcomes by funding a Medical Assistant position in an expansion to a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike which will enhance integrated primary and behavioral health care for homeless populations.
- La Rabida Children’s Hospital—to expand and renovate the patient unit to improve care for children with complex medical needs by integrating advanced technology.
- Lawndale Christian Health Center—to fulfill the demand for care for seniors to age in place and support the operation of one of the first eight Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly organizations in Illinois.
- Near North Health Service Corporation—to deliver mobile comprehensive medical, dental, mental health, nutrition, and outreach services by co-locating the mobile healthcare van with community-based organizations, health fairs, schools, houses of worship, and police stations in underserved communities.
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science—to support the training of advanced practice nursing professionals from diverse backgrounds through scholarships that will further their careers and ensure quality and equitable health care delivery.
- Saint Anthony Hospital—to improve patient care and health outcomes by utilizing Community Health Workers, CNAs, and RNs to visit patients with chronic conditions in their homes, and build long-term, trusting relationships with patients who encounter various barriers to care, including mobility challenges, transportation, language, and insurance.
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab—to support research of a new approach to non-surgically treat muscle and joint contractures using an FDA-approved drug that addresses muscle stem cell dysfunction in children with Cerebral Palsy and other neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.
Contact: Audrey Mullarkey at 312.664.6488.
Williamsburg Health Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)
The Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) approved grants totaling $1.6 million from nonprofit and government organizations that work to improve health and well-being in the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County, Virginia. Recognizing healthy eating and regular physical activity as important forms of primary prevention to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, WHF is investing in initiatives that encourage active lifestyles and make nutritious foods more accessible. During this grant cycle, the importance of programs and services to support independent living for older adults in our community has also become increasingly apparent.
Grantees include:
- The Arc of Greater Williamsburg—to provide both clients and caregivers with activities and tools to improve the health of adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. ($37,500)
- Bacon Street Youth and Family Services—to support its operations. ($240,000)
- Center for Child and Family Services, Inc.—to provide trauma-informed treatment for adults who are perpetrators of violence in intimate partner, family, or community relationships and those struggling with substance abuse not requiring withdrawal management. ($133,000)
- Child Development Resources—to support a two-generation mental health program providing individual counseling to parents/caregivers and play therapy to young children, with joint sessions to work on attachment. ($80,000)
- Child Development Resources—to consolidate operations from four locations and five buildings into a centrally located “Family Resource Center” with the goal of providing wrap-around, comprehensive, and coordinated services. ($400,000)
- The Doorways—to help underwrite lodging and support services for patients (children and adults) and their families from the WHF service area. ($3,750)
- Peninsula Agency on Aging—to contract with a local provider for home-delivered nutritious meals for low-income, aged 60 and older, residents. ($75,000)
- Peninsula Agency on Aging—to provide non-emergency medical transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. ($130,000)
- Postpartum Support Virginia, Inc.—to increase opportunities in Greater Williamsburg, Virginia for recovery from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) and to create awareness among maternal and child-focused service organizations, health care, and behavioral health providers about PMADs. ($20,000)
- Virginia Down Syndrome Association—for a Williamsburg staff position to provide family care coordination and programming for families who have a member with Down syndrome. ($35,100)
- Virginia Legacy Soccer Club—to provide recreational soccer free of charge to youth in the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and surrounding areas in Virginia. ($40,000)
- Virginia Peninsula Foodbank—to provide fresh produce for the Williamsburg, Virginia area mobile food pantry program. ($68,125)
- Williamsburg Area Faith in Action—to provide free, in-home support services for isolated older adults aged 60 and older living in Greater Williamsburg, Virginia. ($7,500)
- Williamsburg Community Growers—to increase the impact of the community garden and teaching farm in James City County, Virginia. ($68,912)
- Williamsburg-James City County Community Action Agency—to support a community food pantry in the Norge, Virginia area that provides access to nutritious food and essential support to individuals and families facing food insecurities. ($15,000)
- Williamsburg-James City County Public School Division—to support the middle school cross country running club in collaboration with the School Health Initiative Program. ($13,200)
- YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas—to support social, physical, and educational efforts available to older adults in the Williamsburg, Virginia area. ($11,250)
Grants were also awarded in the foundation’s Two-Generation Family Services and Behavioral Health Services focus areas. In 2024, WHF awarded $5.95 million to improve health and well-being in Greater Williamsburg, Virginia.
To learn more about the foundation’s grant opportunities, click here.