Getting to Know the Dogwood Health Trust and Its Strategy in Western North Carolina

As part of our ongoing coverage of new and emerging health legacy funders, we recently learned that the Dogwood Health Trust (DHT) chose its inaugural CEO to steer the new funder towards its first North Carolina grant cycle. Antony Chiang, an innovator from the Empire Health Foundation in Spokane, Washington, will step in as DHT’s first leader in November, bringing the Southeast region his extensive experience in the opioid addiction crisis. As Chiang and his team gear up for 2020 grants, we’re taking a look at what the Dogwood Trust is all about and how local groups can get involved.

DHT’s Initial Interests

To begin, DHT is already taking steps to address the opioid crisis in Western North Carolina, a region that has been hit harder by this drug epidemic than many parts of the country. The funder has committed to a $25 million, five-year investment to address this issue at the local level. In fact, a recent JAMA study found that 41 of North Carolina’s 100 counties qualified as “opioid high-risk” counties, representing about 10 percent of all the high-risk counties in the U.S.

Other major interests of DHT are the 16 percent poverty rate and the 13.5 percent uninsured rate in Western North Carolina.

“The Trust will partner with governments, nonprofits, and other funders in North Carolina’s westernmost counties to address a range of factors that impact people’s health, which may include substance use disorders, education, housing, and employment,” said Janice Brumit, chair of Dogwood Health Trust’s board of directors. “While the Trust has not yet determined its grantmaking priorities, the strategic planning process is now underway.”

This planning process has been going on since December 2018 and has included numerous listening sessions with local nonprofit leaders about what they think are the greatest issues that affect health and wellness in Western North Carolina. Some of the issues that have come up are access to quality and affordable health care, mental health, substance use disorders, income inequality, unemployment, housing, transportation, and education.

The Urban-Rural Balance

DHT has the unique challenge of addressing health and wellbeing in 18 counties across Western North Carolina. As we’ve written about extensively in the past, the needs of urban areas and rural communities differ dramatically. But as Brumit said, there are shared universal concerns, and DHT will look to promote collaboration among rural and urban areas for the benefit of the entire region.

“Dogwood Health Trust very intentionally selected leaders who reflect the diversity of the region to serve on its board of directors,” Brumit said. “The Trust also fully understands the need to interact with community leaders, nonprofits, and individuals who are facing disparities to learn from their stories. While gathering data on the most pressing disparities in these counties, it is vitally important to understand the experiences of the people we serve. One of the Trust’s guiding principles is to keep people and communities first by honoring the diversity of experiences across Western North Carolina and fully embracing equity and inclusion in all that we do.”

What Makes DHT Unique

With so many new health conversion foundations emerging on the philanthropy scene each year, we always look to distinguish what makes these funders unique and stand out from the crowd. What really sets DHT apart is its diverse board leadership and its specific regional focus on Western North Carolina.

“Not only will the Trust make grants to organizations aligned with its purpose, it will also conduct research and convene experts to help improve health and well-being,” Brumit said. “Through its partnerships with nonprofits, government entities, and other funders, the Trust can create deep collective impact in this limited geography beyond what any one organization could achieve alone.”

Initial Challenges

But as you might expect, launching a health conversion foundation from the ground-up doesn’t come without its challenges. After the sale of Mission Health to HCA Healthcare, the newly formed DHT faced the complex logistical and regulatory requirements that come with establishing any new nonprofit organization. It’s also been important to develop DHT’s identity and voice and then explain that to the community.

“Another exciting challenge/opportunity is finding the right people who will bring expertise, passion, and humility to serve on its board, as its CEO, and in each staff position,” Brumit said. “The Trust is grateful for lessons learned in this early phase and for the lasting impact it will have as a result.”

Looking Ahead to 2020

The Dogwood Health Trust has nearly $1.5 billion in assets generating investment income, an impressive start that will allow bold moves in Western North Carolina communities. However, local nonprofits will have to wait a little longer to apply for DHT grant opportunities because the funder is still developing its strategic plan to inform its funding strategies and grantmaking procedures. We’re expecting grantmaking criteria to be available in the spring of 2020, initial grants beginning in late 2020, and then wrapping up by the end of next year.

“At the appropriate time, Dogwood Health Trust will be interested in partnering with entities to make a strong, collective impact on improving health and well-being in this region,” Brumit said. “Regional nonprofits and other prospective grantees should continue to live into their respective missions and the meaningful work they do serving the people of Western North Carolina. Together, we will foster a brighter future for Western North Carolina.”