The challenge
Texas Health Resources (THR) sought to develop an infrastructure for funding new community health investments using philanthropy. THR’s leaders initially hoped to ask donors to support a community health impact fund, which would make grants to local organizations aligned with critical health objectives. However, the foundation team was unsure that donors would attach to that idea. Despite showing interest in community health needs, donors weren’t likely to invest in a
grantmaking fund without knowing how the monies would be used.
The organization
THR is one of North Texas’s largest health systems with more than 4,000 beds across 27 hospitals. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, their foundation team has 26 full time employees and raised $14.6M in FY2019.
The approach
THR Foundation used market research to understand whether donor interests aligned with the health system’s funding strategy, and offer evidence based alternatives. The foundation conducted a feasibility study with donors to determine what type of community health strategy they would fund. Donor feedback helped the foundation design a two pronged, market informed approach to funding community health improvement programs.
The result
THR’s two pronged community health improvement funding strategy meets donor and institutional interests. Across FY2019 alone, donors and the health system committed a combined $7.4M to community health investments.