Catholic Health Initiatives Provides $5.2 Million for New Grants to Innovative Projects that Build Healthy Communities

Catholic Health Initiatives, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, has awarded new grants totaling $5.2 million this year to innovative programs designed to build healthy communities. In addition, CHI’s Mission and Ministry Fund will provide $4.1 million this year to earlier grantees supported through multi-year funding, including a second year of funding to match a $2.5 million award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The 27 new grants from the Mission and Ministry Fund, created when CHI was formed in 1996, will help to create and support programs that address violence prevention, access to mental health services, nutrition education and other factors that contribute to better health.

During the past 22 years, the fund has awarded 525 grants totaling more than $84 million. The grants help start and support projects that improve the overall health of communities, often by serving disadvantaged individuals and populations.

Grant applications may be submitted by CHI’s affiliated organizations, participating congregations and strategic partners. All supported initiatives must meet an identified community need, invite collaboration with partners in the community, and be replicable in other communities.

“We are grateful that we are able to present these grants, which will be used to address priority health needs for thousands of people,” said Kevin E. Lofton, chief executive officer of CHI. “Our hospitals and participating religious congregations are often the facilitators of these projects, but each is driven by a broad collaboration of stakeholders in each community, including those who will be served by the projects.”

Some grants are earmarked for CHI’s national commitment to ending violence in the communities it serves; others go to improving the health status of vulnerable populations outside the U.S.  

The 2018 Mission and Ministry Fund grants were presented to:

CHI Health, Omaha, NE
$173,677 (over two years) for Food Access for Latino Residents
Address the need of access to affordable and healthy foods.

CHI Memorial, Chattanooga, TN
$59,373 for Community Health Network
Develop a network to improve access for vulnerable communities.

CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck, ND
$251,178 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on intimate partner violence.

CHI St. Alexius Health Carrington, Carrington, ND
$43,080 (over two years) for Blessing in a Backpack
Provide weekend nutritional needs for school students.

CHI St. Francis Health, Breckenridge, MN
$222,782 (over three years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on child abuse/neglect.

CHI St. Luke’s, Houston, TX
$50,000 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on human trafficking.

CHI St. Vincent, Hot Springs, AR
$110,000 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on suicide prevention.

Dominican Sisters of Peace, Columbus, OH
$26,880 for Neighborhood Outreach to Promote Peace & Community Wellness
Impact health, equity, and safety.

Flaget Memorial, Bardstown, KY
$327,741 (over three years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on violence in schools.

Franciscan Foundation, Tacoma, WA
$427,238 (over two years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on youth violence.

$337,803 (over three years) for Faith Health in Action
Establish a health ministry program and expand the Faith Health in Action initiative.

$41,846 for Integrated Student Support Program
Identify and implement a program in middle schools focused in increasing student support.

Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation, Cincinnati, OH
$450,000 (over three years) for OB Care Model Transformation
Address gaps, improve access to care, and improve health outcomes for disadvantaged women.

Highline Foundation, Burien, WA
$206,000 for Highline Health Connections Expansion
Improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Mercy Foundation, Roseburg, OR
$275,603 (over three years) for Mobile Food Pantry
Increase access to health food in communities with high rates of poverty.

Mercy Medical, Des Moines, IA
$177,103 (over three years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on dating violence.

Penrose-St. Francis Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO
$280,000 (over two years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on youth violence.

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Nazareth, KY
$12,864 for Preranalaya Center, Musunuru, India
Build awareness of hygiene and support leadership of women and youth.

Sisters of St. Francis, Sylvania, OH
$125,000 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on child abuse.

Sister of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fargo, ND
$225,000 (over three years) for Presentation Partners in Housing
Develop initiatives focused on financial assistance, homeless prevention, housing navigation and rapid re-housing.

St. Anthony Health Foundation, Lakewood, CO
$180,000 for Helping Babies Survive Expanding the Maternal-Child Health Continuum in Nepal and Africa through Training and Outreach
Expand the existing program in Nepal.

St. Anthony Summit, Frisco, CO
$151,357 (over two years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on domestic violence and sexual assault.

St. Joseph Berea, Berea, KY
$388,300 (over three years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on bullying, dating violence, stalking, and other forms of power based personal violence.

St. Mary-Corwin Health Foundation, Pueblo, CO
$95,039 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on violence in schools.

St. Thomas More Health Foundation, Canon City, CO              
$77,291 for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on child abuse and neglect.

The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, Aston, PA
$421,731 (over three years) for Violence Prevention
Implement a violence prevention initiative focused on gun violence.

Trinity Health System, Steubenville, OH
$111,776 for Bridging the Gap: Housing and Medical Care for our underserved Behavioral Health Patients
Develop a plan to improve health outcomes by removing many of the socioeconomic factors that led to poor health outcomes.