WITH Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The WITH Foundation supports health services, research, advocacy and professional development programs that aim to improve healthcare for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

IP TAKE: In its vision statement, the WITH Foundation acknowledges that “[o]ur current healthcare system provides inadequate consideration for the needs of adults with developmental disabilities, and to neglect this population is in sharp contrast to accepted medical and ethical standards.” WITH grantmaking stays close to its mission of improving healthcare for disabled adults, but it is an accessible and supportive funder. WITH runs three grant cycles per year; for two it accepts LOIs from organizations working in its areas of interest, and for the other cycle, it posts an RFP for projects of timely or specific interest to the foundation. This funder welcomes communication, so reach out at any time via its contact page.

In September 2023, the WITH Foundation announced it will spend down and sunset its operations in 2028.

PROFILE: The WITH Foundation, formerly the Special Hope Foundation, was established in 2002 in San Mateo, California. The foundation’s mission is “ to promote the establishment of comprehensive healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities that is designed to address their unique and fundamental needs.” Grantmaking focuses on direct health services for disabled individuals, but may also involve education and awareness programs, policy development, general operating support for health organizations working with disabled populations and research on on innovations and best practices in healthcare for disabled populations.

WITH describes its approach to grantmaking as “intersectional” in that it prioritizes “adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that may also hold other historically excluded identities on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, and/or linguistic and communication diversity.” This funder also seeks to support “the leadership and expertise of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Grants for Public Health

Grantmaking prioritizes initiatives and research that aim to eliminate or decrease barriers to quality healthcare for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). In addition to this main area of focus, grants support programs that involve the following:

  • Training for health professionals who work with disabled people

  • Programs that aim to simplify or streamline reimbursement programs

  • Healthcare coordination

  • Advocacy for systemic change in health services for the diabled

  • Initiatives that aim to “increase understanding of supported decision-making in healthcare settings”

  • Digital health platforms and applications for disabled people

  • Policy research

  • Projects that aim to identify and remove barriers to healthcare access

WITH grants do not support therapies or interventions that “are provided outside of a formal healthcare setting” or programs that provide transportation or supportive equipment to disabled people.

One WITH grant supported an investigation of the efficacy of telehealth visits for IDD patients at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. Another grant went to the Sepsis Alliance for the development of training and educational programs for healthcare professionals addressing “sepsis risk and treatment considerations in the ID adult population.” Other recent grantees include the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, the National Disability Rights Network and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

Important Grant Details:

WITH grants usually provided one year of support ranging from $30,000 to $50,000.

  • WITH is open to providing up to three years of funding for programs that are of exceptional importance to healthcare delivery for the disabled community.

  • While grantmaking is national in scope, this funder prioritizes organizations operating in the San Francisco Bay Area.

  • WITH grantees include advocacy groups, healthcare networks, research institutes and organizations involved in providing direct services to disabled individuals.

  • For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s previous grant recipients page.

The WITH Foundation runs three annual grant cycles. For two of the cycles it accepts letters of inquiry via an online portal which opens on the first of March and November. The other grant cycle consists of an RFP for projects or research that are of specific and timely interest to the foundation. The RFP cycle opens on July 1. For guidelines and eligibility information, see the foundation’s application and FAQ pages. General inquiries may be submitted to WITH via its contact page.

PEOPLE:

  • Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only.)

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