Grantmaking

Responding to issues in the world around us, the Foundation’s strategy has evolved over the years to ensure that our grants are generating the greatest impact through measurable health outcomes.

In 2000, we created the Healthy Generations Program, which used innovative social-
mapping technology to provide a snapshot of the major health issues in each state. It allowed us to drill down to the zip-code level and target initiatives that positively affected the conditions that mattered most. We called this “putting science behind the art of grant making.”

In July 2021, to respond to COVID-19 and to the health disparities that have long plagued our communities, the Foundation launched a new strategy. To generate even greater results through measurable health outcomes, particularly for socially vulnerable populations, we selected four primary focus areas:

• Maternal Health
• Food as Medicine
• Substance Use Disorder
• Community Resiliency & Disaster Relief

To support this strategy, the Foundation made a three-year, $90 million commitment, which it exceeded by awarding $97.3 million in grants to over 12,000 nonprofit partners across the country.

At the end of 2024, the Foundation reassessed our strategy to determine where we could have the most significant and positive effect on our communities going forward. As a result, we are adopting an expanded, multi-lever approach that is supported by a new five-year commitment of $150 million. This major commitment coincides with our 25th anniversary and reflects our deeper understanding of how to improve lives and communities.

Learn more about our grantmaking process.