Last year, Saint Luke's Foundation took a good long look at its infrastructure as well as its impact on the region. The result was a refined grantmaking philosophy that ties funding directly to three overarching priorities: health, community and family.
Saint Luke's most recent round of grants reflects its new approach, says president and CEO Denise San Antonio Zeman. The foundation recently awarded a total of $1,385,332 to 13 organizations that advance its trio of strategic priorities
"Our mission-based spending policy allows us to give more than in past years," says Zeman. The new grantmaking strategy also "enables us to go deeper with community partners in ways that address the complex, changing needs of Greater Cleveland’s vulnerable populations."
The grant given to Pew Charitable Trusts in particular mirrors what Saint Luke's is trying to accomplish, says the foundation president. The $301,543 awarded to Pew over the next two-plus years will support Saint Luke's participation in the national Health Impact Project, an initiative to support the growth of local Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) that assess the influence of policies, plans and projects on the well-being of diverse populations.
Meanwhile, Saint Luke's is continuing to refine its grant-giving approach. The next grant cycle is in December, and Zeman expects the foundation to roll out further policy fine-tunings within the next 30 days.
Saint Luke's has been funding solutions to community health concerns since 1997. The foundation's strategy has changed, but its core beliefs remain constant. "The organizations [we award grants] can be our partners in advancing our mission and theirs simultaneously," says Zeman.
SOURCE: Denise San Antonio Zeman
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth