RHI Legacy Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This funder supports programs for chronic disease, healthy eating, and active living in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
IP TAKE: This is an accessible funder for public health initiatives in Rutherford County. Grantmaking also supports programs that promote healthy living habits, and funding has gone to community health fairs, local camps and diet and exercise programs. Use the foundation’s contact page to reach out with questions and ideas.
PROFILE: The RHI Legacy Foundation is one of the newer health legacy foundations, created after a joint venture between Rutherford Hospital, Inc. (RHI) and Duke LifePoint Healthcare. Through the venture, RHI saw an influx of cash assets, which the board of trustees used to set up the RHI Legacy Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to “to impact health and wellness in Rutherford County by making grants to support organizations and initiatives aligned with the Foundation’s grant focus areas.” The funding areas and geographic focus of this foundation are narrow: limited to health and wellness in Rutherford County, North Carolina. In May 2016, the RHI Legacy Foundation and RHI Legacy Inc. merged their boards to collectively address local needs and streamline leadership.
Today, the foundation has three funding areas for grantmaking: chronic disease, healthy eating, and active living. Cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and support for cancer patients are priorities for this funder. Its cancer services program offers free or low-cost support services like mammograms for women without health insurance, education about skin and scalp care during chemotherapy and funding for patients who have financial difficulties because of their cancer treatments. Past grantee partners include the Rutherford Outdoor Coalition, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, the Community Health Council of Rutherford County and the Rutherford County Schools Backpack Program.
In a recent year, the funder made over $1.3 million in grants, most between $5,000 and $100,000. This is a foundation that regularly supports both existing and new health and wellness services in its target community. Additional information about past grantees is available at the foundation’s grants page.
The RHI Legacy Foundation accepts grant applications for all focus areas between May and June and makes grants in early October. It only considers groups that benefit the residents of Rutherford County, but its grants have supported general operations, capacity building and programming. Additional information bout guidelines, eligibility and due dates is available at the foundation’s grants page.
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