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Endowment For Health Inc

Annual Giving
$5.8M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.0M
Decision Time
2mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5.8 million (2024-2025)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks (Opportunity Grants); varies for Strategic Grants
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Geographic Focus: New Hampshire statewide
  • Assets: $105.9 million

Contact Details

Website: www.endowmentforhealth.org

Phone: (603) 228-2448

Fax: (603) 228-1304

Address: 1 Pillsbury Street, Suite 301, Concord, NH 03301

Pre-Application Support:

  • Andie Hession, Grants Program Associate
  • Sue Fulton, Chief Financial Officer The foundation encourages potential applicants to connect with staff to discuss ideas before applying.

Overview

The Endowment for Health was established in 1999 through the conversion of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Hampshire. With assets of $105.9 million, the foundation has awarded more than 1,800 grants totaling over $77 million since 2001. The organization works to improve the health and reduce the burden of illness for the people of New Hampshire, especially the state's most vulnerable and underserved. In 2024-2025, the foundation awarded nearly $5.8 million through 90 grants to 61 organizations with an average award size of $64,000. Approximately 90% of the Endowment's grant awards are strategic investments aligned with five targeted statewide initiatives. The foundation received a significant gift of $7 million from MacKenzie Scott, which has expanded its capacity to push for transformation in New Hampshire health equity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Opportunity Grants: $1,000 - $20,000 (rolling monthly deadlines)

  • Responsive funding for urgent needs, innovation, and health-strengthening projects
  • Typically one year or less, one-time funding
  • Online portal with monthly review cycle
  • Decision within approximately 6 weeks of submission

Strategic Grants: Varies, up to $1,000,000+ (invitation only)

  • About 90% of total grant awards
  • Identified in partnership with key stakeholders
  • Aligned with five targeted statewide initiatives
  • Examples include $530,000 project support grant, $200,000 to HealthForce NH, $1 million to Foundation for Healthy Communities

Priority Areas

The Endowment focuses on five strategic statewide initiatives:

Healthcare Workforce (Forward Fund): Strengthening New Hampshire's clinical placement opportunities, eliminating policy and practice barriers to licensure, implementing coordinated State Plan to expand and support healthcare workforce. The Forward Fund, established in 2019 with $1.9 million from NH Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, has allocated more than $400,000 to address workforce shortages.

Children's Behavioral Health: Proactive investment in leadership and advocacy, and public policy change within children's behavioral health systems. One in five NH children face social and emotional challenges, with the system being underfunded, fragmented and uncoordinated.

Health Equity: Projects that advance health equity for people who lack a fair opportunity to optimize their health potential due to income, age, race, culture, ethnicity, disability, educational level, geography or sexual orientation.

Healthy Aging: Supporting elder health and realized potential.

Early Childhood: Projects focused on early childhood health and development.

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants to individuals
  • Out of state projects
  • Ongoing operating expenses
  • Equipment purchases
  • Sponsorships for events/conferences
  • Capital campaigns and/or fundraising events
  • Direct or grassroots lobbying
  • Expenses already incurred
  • Replacement of public funding
  • Sectarian or religious programs
  • Political activities or campaigns

Governance and Leadership

President

Yvonne Goldsberry serves as President of the Endowment for Health.

Selected quotes from President Goldsberry:

  • "The Endowment is passionate about promoting the ability of local communities to come together to solve their own challenges and to have meaningful conversations as part of a rich civic life. Much of our grantmaking over the past 12 months supported New Hampshire communities to make improvements at the local level."
  • "I am honored to be taking the helm at the Endowment for Health. I am particularly proud to be working with the talented team here and am confident in our future as we work with our community partners in various fields to improve health for the state's most vulnerable and underserved residents."
  • "The Endowment continues to push for transformation, to make New Hampshire a state where opportunity is universal and where justice and equity are the standard."

Board of Trustees

Chris Matthews (Chair) - Associate Professor of Global Business and Leadership at Southern New Hampshire University

Marie Ramas (Vice Chair) - Medical Director at GateHouse Treatment Center

Steve Lawlor (Treasurer) - Principal at Nathan Wechsler & Company, P.A.

Mike Devlin (Secretary) - Chief Program Officer at South Middlesex Opportunity Council

Additional Board Members:

  • Adeola Adeniyi - Chief Financial Officer at Mokse Educational Services and Adjunct Professor at Southern New Hampshire University
  • Virginia Irwin - Former Director of Education at the Department of Education
  • Shawn LaFrance - Deacon at Episcopal Church and Former Vice President for Population Health at Dartmouth Health–Cheshire Medical Center
  • Kathleen McGuire - Senior Associate Justice at NH Superior Court
  • Tim Murphy - Executive Director at Southwest Region Planning Commission

Staff

Sue Fulton - Chief Financial Officer (one of the Endowment's first employees)

Andie Hession - Grants Program Associate (joined after the organization's 20th anniversary, bringing background in public health, environmental education, and sustainable food systems)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Opportunity Grants:

  • Online application portal available at endowmentforhealth.org/opportunity-grants
  • Submit applications by the last day of each month for monthly review cycle
  • Pre-application consultation strongly encouraged - contact Andie Hession or Sue Fulton to discuss ideas
  • Staff available to answer questions throughout the application process
  • Application includes narrative, workplan, and intended outcome metrics using the Endowment's Measurement Framework
  • Templates and resources available at endowmentforhealth.org/grant-tools

For Strategic Grants:

  • Invitation only
  • Identified in partnership with key stakeholders
  • Align with five targeted statewide initiatives

Decision Timeline

Opportunity Grants: Applications reviewed monthly. Applicants receive decision within approximately 6 weeks of submission.

Strategic Grants: Timeline varies based on specific initiative and partnership development.

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. In 2024-2025, the foundation awarded 90 grants from applications received.

Recent annual awards:

  • 2024: 70 awards
  • 2023: 73 awards
  • 2022: 70 awards
  • 2021: 59 awards

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in public materials. Applicants are encouraged to contact staff to discuss reapplication prospects.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Endowment's stated priorities and recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

Alignment with Strategic Initiatives: Review the five targeted statewide initiatives (Healthcare Workforce, Children's Behavioral Health, Health Equity, Healthy Aging, Early Childhood). Even for Opportunity Grants, showing alignment strengthens applications.

Clear, Measurable Outcomes: Use the Endowment's Measurement Framework to identify realistic, attainable, and measurable outcomes. The foundation emphasizes operationalized metrics that track impact.

Focus on Vulnerable and Underserved Populations: The foundation prioritizes projects that serve "New Hampshire's most vulnerable and underserved residents." Explicitly demonstrate how your project addresses health disparities.

Collaboration and Leverage: Projects that "leverage resources including other funding" and "involve collaboration with other organizations" are viewed favorably.

Community Power Building: Recent grants emphasize "civic engagement and community power building" - the foundation values projects that enable "local communities to come together to solve their own challenges."

Compelling Need and Urgency: Applications should "present a compelling case regarding the seriousness and urgency of the need."

Demonstrated Capacity: Show "the applicant's ability to successfully implement the project" through organizational track record and specific implementation plans.

Geographic Reach: Projects that "serve or have the potential to serve a wide geographic area of New Hampshire and/or a significant population of NH residents" are prioritized.

Pre-Application Consultation: The foundation explicitly encourages applicants to "connect with Andie Hession or Sue Fulton to discuss an idea" before applying - use this resource.

Recent Grant Examples that Illustrate Priorities:

  • $1 million to 21 community health centers and community mental health centers ($50,000 each for operating support)
  • $200,000 to HealthForce NH for healthcare workforce development
  • $120,000 to NAMI New Hampshire for youth and family leaders in children's behavioral health
  • $66,666 to NH Hunger Solutions for food insecurity screening and referral
  • $50,000 to Conservation Law Foundation for environmental justice movement building

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact staff before applying: The foundation explicitly encourages pre-application consultation with Andie Hession or Sue Fulton - this is not optional for competitive applications.
  • Use the Measurement Framework: Familiarize yourself with and utilize the Endowment's Measurement Framework when identifying outcomes. Templates are available at endowmentforhealth.org/grant-tools.
  • Focus on health equity: With MacKenzie Scott's $7 million gift earmarked for transformation and equity, applications that advance health equity for vulnerable populations are strongly positioned.
  • Demonstrate collaboration: Recent grants emphasize partnerships, civic engagement, and community power building. Show how your project involves multiple stakeholders.
  • Know the difference between grant types: Opportunity Grants ($1,000-$20,000) are for responsive, short-term needs with open applications. Strategic Grants (up to $1 million+) are invitation-only and comprise 90% of total funding.
  • Review recent awards: Study the awarded grants listed on their website to understand current funding patterns and priorities. The foundation publishes detailed grant information.
  • Submit by month-end: For Opportunity Grants, submit by the last day of any month to enter the monthly review cycle and receive a decision in approximately 6 weeks.

References

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