Highmark Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Highmark Foundation awards grants for the research and treatment of pervasive chronic conditions in the United States, mainly heart disease and diabetes. Its public health grants focus on increased physical activity, improved nutrition and anti-bullying efforts. Its mental health grants center around children and adolescents.
IP TAKE: Highmark seeks projects that have the potential to be replicable and sustainable. It also expects its grantee organizations to have a significant impact on the health outcomes of the local communities they serve. This is an accessible funder with an online application system that is easy to use. Be sure your organization meets the foundation’s eligibility requirements before submitting materials.
PROFILE: The Highmark Foundation describes itself as “dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and quality of life for individuals and communities.” In the public health space, many of its grants are related to advocating for increased physical activity, improved nutrition and anti-bullying efforts. Highmark pays special funding attention to childhood obesity and bullying, calling both “major public health concerns for the nation.” The foundation awards grants and funding through its Priority Funding Areas in Chronic Disease, Family Health and Service Delivery Systems.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
Highmark supports public health through all three of its grant initiatives. Highmark’s Chronic Disease funding supports “evidence-based prevention programs and interventions” to address a range of common chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke, arthritis, kidney disease and HIV/AIDS. Past grantees include West Virginia Health Right, American Cancer Society, Allegheny Health Network Lupus Center of Excellence and the American Heart Association.
The foundation’s Family Health program concerns “a broad range of issues which impact the family unit,” such as maternal health, infant health, adolescent health, senior health, bullying, obesity, and family-centric nutrition.
Finally, its Service Delivery Systems program works to create health systems that “deliver effective, safe, high quality personal and non-personal care to those who need it, when they need it, and with minimal waste,” supporting programs in primary and dental care, coordination of services, access to care, and capacity building.
Grants for Mental Health
The foundation awards mental health related grants through its Family Health program, which offers support to a broad range of health issues including maternal health, adolescent health, mental health, family health, physical activity and programs for seniors. Past mental health grantees include Highlands Hospital, which received a grant for its programs addressing the social, physical and emotional needs of girls and women ages 11 and older; and Allegheny Health Network, which received support for its perinatal depression program.
Grants for Violence Prevention
The Highmark Foundation may award grants related to crime and violence through its Family Health program, which offers support for a board range of issues including maternal health, adolescent health, mental health, family health, physical activity and programs of seniors. The foundation also runs the Bullying Prevention Initiative, which is a “coalition of partners to implement the evidence-based Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP),” throughout Pennsylvania. This initiative is separate from the foundation’s grantmaking. Other anti-bullying and bullying prevention grantees include the Center for Health Promotions and Disease Prevention, which received funding for its targeted strategies to decrease the rates of bullying, and the National Academy of Sciences, which was awarded a grant for its study on the “Biological underpinnings of peer victimizations.”
Important Grant Details:
The majority of Highmark grants are between $25,000 and $150,000. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Past Grants for more information on its giving habits.
Organizations that meet its Eligibility Criteria may apply for grants through Highmark’s online portal.
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