Winchester Hospital Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Foundation Annual Giving: ~$2.6 million (FY 2023, primarily to Winchester Hospital)
• Foundation-to-Hospital Support: ~$420,000+ annually (for operating and capital needs, based on 990 patterns)
• Community Health Grants Pool: $32,500 - $139,000 annually (to external organisations via hospital's Community Benefits programme)
• Typical Grant Range (Community Grants): $6,500 - $15,500 per organisation
• Decision Time: Annual grant cycle
• Geographic Focus: Nine communities in Massachusetts north of Boston
• Total Foundation Assets: $17.1 million (FY 2023)

Contact Details

• Website: https://winchesterhospital.org/about/community-benefits-needs/health-grants
• Email for Grant Applications: LeighAnne.Taylor@bilh.org
• Address: Winchester Hospital, 41 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA 01890
• Parent Organisation: Beth Israel Lahey Health

Overview

Winchester Hospital Foundation Inc (EIN: 04-3399570) was designated tax-exempt in March 2015 and primarily engages in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to support Winchester Hospital, an award-winning community hospital founded in 1912 in Winchester, Massachusetts. The Foundation has grown significantly, with total assets of $17.1 million in FY 2023. In FY 2023, the Foundation reported total expenses of $2.6 million, primarily supporting the hospital's operations, capital needs, and community programmes.

While the Foundation's primary purpose is supporting Winchester Hospital directly, the hospital operates a significant Community Health Grants programme through its Community Benefits Department. This programme makes grants to external nonprofit organisations, coalitions, and community groups serving the hospital's nine-town service area. The programme is guided by the Community Benefits Advisory Committee (CBAC) and focuses on addressing health equity and community health priorities identified through regular Community Health Needs Assessments.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Community Health Grants Programme

• Annual grant pools have ranged from $32,500 (2021, 5 organisations) to $139,000 (2023, 9 organisations)
• Multi-year funding available (2023 grants covered 3-year period 2023-2025)
• Applications reviewed by Grant Selection Committee comprising hospital leaders and local community partners
• Contact LeighAnne.Taylor@bilh.org to request application

Priority Areas

Health Equity Focus Areas:

• Equitable access to care
• Social determinants of health
• Mental health and substance use/abuse
• Complex and chronic conditions

Priority Populations:

• Youth
• Older adults
• Low-resource populations
• LGBTQIA+ individuals
• Racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse populations

Recent Funding Themes:

• Food access programmes
• Mental health services (particularly youth mental health and LGBTQIA+ youth)
• Housing stability
• SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) programmes
• Mobile mental health services for older adults
• Medicare beneficiary counselling (SHINE programme)

What They Don't Fund

While explicit exclusions are not published, the programme focuses specifically on:

• Organisations serving the defined nine-town service area
• Evidence-based or evidence-informed programmes
• Programmes addressing stated health priorities and priority populations

Organisations outside the geographic service area or those proposing programmes not aligned with stated health priorities are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

Winchester Hospital Leadership

• Tim Jones: Interim President, Winchester Hospital
• William H. McCance: Chair, Winchester Hospital Board of Trustees
• Rick Weiner, MD: Former CEO and CMO (served since 1987)
• Karen Keaney, MPAH, RN, ACHCE, NEA-BC: Chief Nursing Officer & Vice President of Patient Care Services
• Dana Zitkovsky: Chief Medical Officer

Community Benefits Contact

• LeighAnne Taylor: Community Benefits contact for grant inquiries and applications

System Leadership

Winchester Hospital is part of Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH):

• Kevin Tabb, MD: President and CEO, Beth Israel Lahey Health
• Tom Sands: Interim Divisional President, Community Care (oversees Winchester Hospital among other community hospitals)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

1. Request an Application: Email LeighAnne.Taylor@bilh.org to receive a grant application
2. Complete Application: Submit evidence-based or evidence-informed programme proposal addressing stated health priorities and priority populations
3. Committee Review: Applications reviewed by Winchester Hospital Grant Selection Committee (hospital leaders and local community partners)
4. Award Notification: Successful applicants notified and grants announced publicly

Eligible Applicants

• Nonprofit organisations
• Local service organisations
• Schools
• Boards of health
• Coalitions
• Community groups providing services in the service area

Geographic Service Area

Applicants must serve one or more of these nine Massachusetts communities:

• Medford
• North Reading
• Reading
• Stoneham
• Tewksbury
• Wakefield
• Wilmington
• Winchester
• Woburn

Decision Timeline

• Annual grant cycle
• 2023 grants announced in January for 3-year programme period (2023-2025)
• 2021 grants announced in March

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated. Contact LeighAnne Taylor for guidance on reapplication policies.

Application Success Factors

What Winchester Hospital Looks For

Based on recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

Strong Evidence Base

• Programmes should be evidence-based or evidence-informed
• Clear methodology and measurable outcomes expected

Direct Alignment with Priorities

• Explicit connection to stated health priorities (equitable access, social determinants, mental health, chronic conditions)
• Clear focus on priority populations (youth, older adults, low-resource, LGBTQIA+, diverse communities)

COVID-19 and Ongoing Community Needs

• Recent grants have emphasised addressing increased demand from the pandemic
• Programmes addressing food access, mental health, and housing stability have been prioritised

Examples of Recently Funded Programmes

2023 Grant Recipients ($139,000 total):

• Youth mental health programmes with LGBTQIA+ focus
• SBIRT and structured mentorship programmes
• Youth mental health action plans and Mental Health First Aid Training
• SHINE collaboration for Medicare beneficiary counselling at Winchester Centre for Cancer Care
• Mobile Mental Health Programme for older adults (home-based services in Medford, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield)
• Leaders for an Equitable Tomorrow youth coalition (Woburn and Winchester)
• Building LGBTQ+ Community Visibility and Resiliency (Tewksbury DEI Advisory Committee partnership)

2021 Grant Recipients ($32,500 total):

• Council of Social Concern Food Bank (Woburn) - food access during COVID-19
• Mission of Deeds - furniture and food gift cards for low-income families
• Wilmington Department of Elderly Services "Meals & More" programme
• Winchester SAFER Coalition "Social Dilemma Webinar" - social media and mental health

Guiding Principles to Address

Successful applications should demonstrate alignment with CBAC guiding principles:

• Equity: Work toward systemic, fair, and just treatment of all people
• Collaboration: Leverage resources by working with community residents and organisations
• Engagement: Intentionally reach out to often-overlooked populations
• Capacity Building: Build community cohesion and capacity
• Intentionality: Be deliberate in engagement and resource leveraging

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Geographic Focus is Critical: Your organisation must serve one or more of the nine specified Massachusetts communities north of Boston. Organisations outside this area will not be considered.

2. Priority Population Alignment: Clearly identify which priority population(s) your programme serves (youth, older adults, low-resource, LGBTQIA+, diverse communities) and how.

3. Evidence-Based Approaches Required: Programmes must be evidence-based or evidence-informed. Document your methodology and expected outcomes clearly.

4. Multi-Year Opportunity: Recent grants have been multi-year (3-year cycle), providing sustained funding for comprehensive programmes.

5. Direct Contact Recommended: Email LeighAnne.Taylor@bilh.org to request an application and potentially discuss programme fit before applying.

6. Modest Grant Sizes: Individual grants typically range from $6,500 to $15,500 based on historical awards. Budget proposals should be appropriately scaled.

7. Mental Health and Food Access Prioritised: Recent funding has heavily emphasised mental health programming (especially for youth and LGBTQIA+ populations) and food security initiatives.

References

• Winchester Hospital Community Health Grants - Primary grant programme information
• Winchester Hospital Awards $139,000 in Grant Funding (January 2023) - 2023 grant recipients
• Winchester Hospital Awards $32,500 in Grant Funding (March 2021) - 2021 grant recipients
• Winchester Hospital Community Benefits & Health Needs - Community Benefits programme overview
• Winchester Hospital Foundation Inc - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Financial data and Form 990 filings
• Winchester Hospital Foundation Inc - Charity Navigator - Charity rating information
• Winchester Hospital Foundation - Cause IQ - Organisation profile
• Winchester Hospital Leadership - Hospital leadership information
• Beth Israel Lahey Health Leadership - System leadership
• Accessed December 2025