2021 Grantmaking Announcement

January 25^th, 2021

Greetings and Happy New Year! The beginning of a New Year provides a renewed sense of hope, optimism and purpose to work towards creating a more equitable Georgia in which all people can attain their fullest potential for health and well-being. It is also a time of reflection, in which we evaluate lessons learned and commit to making changes that better reflect our goals and values. Last year, we all experienced the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities. At Healthcare Georgia Foundation, we continue to be focused on our vision of achieving health equity and our mission to enable, improve, and advance the health and well-being of all Georgians. Last year, the Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $722,000 towards COVID-19 relief support, continued our important work in rural Georgia supporting The Two Georgias Initiative, and provided grant support to strengthen nonprofit capacity through the EmpowerHealth capacity building grant program. Additionally, in response to COVID-19, the Foundation relaxed many of its grantmaking reporting guidelines and hosted several webinars for non-profits designed to assist with navigating the new environment resulting from the pandemic.

In 2021, the Foundation anticipates continuing to implement the strategies identified in its 2019-2023 strategic plan, and will remain committed to Health Equity grantmaking in the areas outlined below:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Education/Awareness Communications Campaign
• Direct Services Grant Program focused on Preventing and Managing Chronic Disease (Asthma, Cardiovascular Disease, and Diabetes). A Save the Date with details will be forthcoming.
• EmpowerHealth Grant Program: the goal of this program is to help nonprofits strengthen their organizational capacity to be better equipped to fulfil their missions. In September 2020, the Foundation awarded grants totaling $400,000 to 8 organizations for a two-year grant period. In addition to implementing a capacity building project, grantees will participate in capacity building and peer learning workshops, attend webinars focused on health equity, evaluation, trauma-informed care, and will receive one-on-one coaching assistance. Funding for EmpowerHealth Cohort Four will be announced in 2022. To learn more about EmpowerHealth, please click here.
• The Two Georgias Initiative: the goal of this funding program is to support 11 rural community coalitions with fostering healthcare innovation as they seek to address health disparities, achieve health equity, improve health status, and expand access to quality healthcare services in Georgia’s rural communities. In 2021, the Foundation will provide a 5^th year of funding to support bridge grants to each of the 11 communities. To learn more about The Two Georgias Initiative, please click here.

The Foundation will also conduct environmental scans relative to two interest areas to better understand the needs, opportunities, and gaps for Maternal and Child Health and Youth Behavioral/Mental Health in Georgia. Funding strategies and opportunities for both will be announced in fall/winter 2021. We look forward to continuing to have you as a partner, and welcome comments or questions which can be directed to our Director of Programs, Lisa Medellin, at (lmedellin@healthcaregeorgia.org).