Health Forward Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Health Forward Foundation supports the health safety net, healthy communities, and mental health in Missouri and Kansas.
FUNDING AREAS: Safety net, healthy communities, mental health
IP TAKE: This is a large health legacy funder that awards sizable, local grants and features an accessible grant application process.
PROFILE: Established in 2003, the Health Forward Foundation (HFF) is a health legacy foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. The purchase of Health Midwest by HCA created this foundation, which was originally called the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Grantmaking began in 2005, and the funder adopted its current name in 2018. The foundation aims to "provide leadership, advocacy, and resources in order to eliminate barriers and promote quality health for the uninsured and underserved in our service area.” It funds local efforts for the health safety net, healthy communities, and mental health .
The Health Forward Foundation awards approximately $20 million each year within its six-county service area. Safety net grants support service delivery models for physical and oral health. Healthy community grants address access to healthy foods, tobacco exposure, and physical activity. Mental health grants aim to improve the capacity, access, and quality of mental health services.
Grants range between about $20,000 and $100,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the Missouri counties of Cass, Jackson, Lafayette, and the city of Kansas City, which includes portions of Clay and Platte counties. It also supports groups in the Kansas counties of Allen, Johnson, and Wyandotte. Past local grantees include the Child Abuse Prevention Association, Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, and Heartland Outreach Providers.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits at certain times of the year. Each grant program has its own set of deadlines. The foundation uses an online grant portal to accept applications. Direct general questions to the staff at info@healthforward.org or 816-241-7006.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
