United Health Foundation
OVERVIEW: The charitable arm of UnitedHealth Group focuses giving on access to healthcare, improving health outcomes, disease prevention, disease management, healthy aging, and promoting active lifestyles in communities throughout the country.
IP TAKE: While this funder is not accessible or transparent about its grantmaking. It does support a diverse range of public health groups. Likeminded grantseekers should at least consider trying to make an introduction, albeit a succinct and targeted one — if your work aligns with this funder’s mission. Consider networking with an employee of its corporate sister in order to see if you can get an employee-matching grant.
PROFILE: The United Health Foundation was established in 1999 as the philanthropic arm of the health insurance and health services company, UnitedHealth Group. The foundation pursues the overall health of communities across the nation. The United Health Foundation provides a dollar-for-dollar matching gift program for its employees who donate to charity, and cultivates partnerships.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
As a funder tuned into community health, United Health gives broadly to local nonprofits or the local chapters of national organizations, like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Public health projects and initiatives supported by United Health are pretty diverse and include basically anything, from anti-tobacco campaigns to enhancing asthma care. Additionally, in 2022, the foundation pledged $100 million over ten years to support health equity by providing scholarships and skills training to people of color who are pursuing careers as health professionals.
While the foundation does not have a specific grantmaking program targeting disease, it does give to Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease organizations across the United States. Often, these grants support local chapters of national organizations, such as the Alzheimer’s Association and the American Heart Association.
Important Grant Details:
United Health Foundation’s grants typically range from $10,000 to $200,000, but may go as high as $3 million. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Current Partners to get a better idea of the kinds of organizations it tends to support.
United Health does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding, and does not provide deadlines, guidelines, or application instructions on its website. What the foundation does offer is a lengthy list of the types of projects and organizations it does not fund, including “capital campaigns, project planning grants, general operations, direct financial assistance to individuals, endowments, fundraising events or development campaigns, political causes, candidates or legislative lobbying efforts, recreational, sporting events or athletic associations, religious organizations for religious purposes, or basic or biomedical research.” However, organizations who think they may be a good fit for UHF’s grantmaking are invited to reach out and make contact.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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