Washington Health Foundation Grant Making, 1993-2012
One of the important strategic pathways for the Washington Health Foundation to achieve its mission, purpose and vision was to make grant awards to various organizations. Much of this grantmaking was to entities in the rural areas of Washington state, though over time the Foundation also began to offer and award grants across the state as a whole.
The various grant programs are identified below. Some operated for one or a few years; others were more regular programs over much of this twenty year period.
One of the consistent philosophies underlying the Foundation’s grant making strategy was the notion of social capital. That is, a primary intent of almost all of the Foundation’s grants were to build social relations between the Foundation and its grantees, and and among and within the community of the grantees. Evaluations of our grant programs were only partially related to the substantive parameters set by the specific grant programs; they were as much to identify how much the funding was serving to build social capital, working relations, and opportunities for collaboration, locally and across the state.
The Foundation eventually needed to withdraw from making grant awards, mostly due to funding limitations. Unlike many foundations, WHF chose to aggressively invest its assets toward health care change. Rather than invest small amounts of its interest earnings each year, the Foundation instead invested major blocks of its funding to its programs, including the making of grants. By 2010, WHF funds had dissipated such that a major shift in approach from grantmaking was required.
Washington Health Foundation Grant Programs
+ Rural Initiative Grants
Through the creation of the Rural Hospital Assistance Program (RHAP), hundreds of thousands of dollars were distributed to rural hospitals across Washington state to maintain their financial viability. As part of the program, WHF also received funding to stimulate bigger long term thinking and action. Most of WHF’s investments through this were used for Major Projects, such as Regional Projects, Statewide Health Plan Research, and Community Health Network development. Summaries of these projects are found in the Major Project Summary of this website. A smaller amount of funds were allocated to grants, both Major and Mini, and are noted below.
+ Rural Health Viability Grants
Rural Health Viability grants were designed to preserve access to local health services in rural areas. The program was intended to preserve access by providing short term support to vulnerable rural hospitals, providers and communities across the state. The Foundation aimed to provide $1 million per year in these awards, with individual grants ranging from $15,000 to $100,000. Criteria were financial vulnerability, sustainability, and population vulnerability.
+ Rural Health Improvement Grants
Rural Health Improvement grants were awarded applicants seeking to try “good ideas” for the preservation and improvement of health and health care in rural areas of Washington. The range of grants was $15,000 to $50,000. Highlighted purposes included gaps in access, quality improvement, health improvement, increased patient satisfaction, chronic disease programs, and community health education. Criteria included population vulnerability, potential for replicability, organizational capacity, and collaboration among providers. Mini-grants of $500 to $15,000 were also awarded under the parameters of this program.
+ Rural Health Leadership Grants
The Rural Health Leadership grant program was built as a follow up step to the Foundation’s successful 2003 Washington Health Leadership Summit. The many organizations and leaders who signed the Leadership Resolution at the conclusion of the Summit led to the Foundation’s creation of its Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign. As this Campaign was being rolled out across the state, this grant program was intended to encourage grant partners who would work with us toward the vision of the Healthiest State. These awards focused on two program priority areas: Health Disparities and Organizational Change and Community Partnerships for Health Promotion.
+ Future of Rural Health Grants
Future of Rural Health grants were designed to stimulate thinking and action towards the development of new local models offering greater viability and sustainability in rural health systems. Two types of grants were awarded: demonstration project grants capped at $200,000 and project support grants capped at $50,000. Key criteria for making awards prioritized proposals that were: transformational in nature, community based and locally driven, organizationally linked and accountable, cooperative, publicly supported and individually acceptable, affordable and cost efficient, accessible coverage and care, focused on improving quality, aimed at health status improvement, and sustainable in the long run.
+ Healthier Washington Health Disparities Grants
Healthier Washington grants were intended to help achieve the Foundation’s goal of eliminating health disparities by providing major grants that would change organizational policies and practices. The strategic notion was to address how local healthcare providers might change organizational norms, policies and personnel so that health disparities engendered by disparate treatment might be alleviated. Awards were focused in communities that have significant and/or rapidly growing Latino or tribal populations. The program included significant technical assistance, evaluation and periodic convening of grantees.
+ Healthiest State in the Nation Grants
With the continued growth and success of the Foundation’s Healthiest State in the Nation program, the Foundation integrated its full portfolio of work to support the Campaign, including its grant programs. The Foundation invited applications that would result in measurable changes toward the Healthiest State in both individual (Healthy Living) and community (Healthy System) improvements. Over several years, the Foundation prioritized certain interest areas on a year to year basis, and awarded both Healthiest State Major and Mini grants. Healthiest State Ambassador grants were aimed at building local engagement for the Campaign in rural communities.
+ Healthy System Challenge Grants
The Healthy System Challenge grant program built on the enthusiastic involvement of health providers, businesses, schools and other Participating Organizations to engage in the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign. As individuals across the state engaged in Healthy Living actions such as physical activity to help reach the Foundation’s 10 Million Mile Challenge, the Foundation continued to emphasize that Healthy Systems improvements were the other vital building block of becoming the Healthiest State. The Healthy Systems grant program was created to further emphasize this importance by funding organizations pursuing the policies, programs and environments that make healthy choices the easy choices.Challenge grants ranged from $500 to $15,000.
+ Health Access Safety Net and Emerging Issue Grants
WHF provided a limited number of grants to support safety nets in local communities or to address emerging issues that might affect access to health care.
+ Nursing Retention Grants
With funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), WHF implemented a program aimed at improving the retention rates of Registered Nurses working in rural hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in Washington state. Working with the Washington Nursing Leadership Council and the Washington State Hospital Association, WHF conducted a survey of Washington state RNs to identify specific factors affecting workforce retention. Grants and technical assistance were provided to three sites in Nurse Mentorship and Nurse Leadership Development.
+ Rural Home Health Network Demonstration Projects
With funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), WHF provided demonstration project funding to home health providers in four rural regions across Washington state: Northeast Try Counties, Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties, East Lewis County, and Okanogan County. The aim was increase the appropriate utilization of home health services. A smaller portion of funds were used to support training and materials designed to improve the viability of all rural home health agencies in the state.
+ Rural Registry Project Grants
Working in collaboration with the Diabetes and Prevention Control Program of the WA State Department of Health, the Rural Registry Project was aimed at testing whether electronic registries can lead to better health outcomes for chronic illness management. The CDEMS registry software was used for many clinics participating in a statewide collaborative, but most small clinics were not participating for lack of time and staff. WHF and DOH staff provided grant support (grants of $500 to $50,000)and technical assistance to allow their participation.
+ President Fund Grants
WHF’s Board set aside a portion of funds that the WHF President could award at his discretion to grantees. The awards were typically small in amount relative to other Foundation grants, typically $500 to $5000.
+ Special Awards
WHF’s Board, on occasion, would direct the award of a grant to an entity for a special purpose outside of our grant making programs but worthy of organizational support.