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Building Healthy Lives Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $284,950 (most recent fiscal year)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (historical average approximately $4,000 per grant)
  • Geographic Focus: Cincinnati, Ohio region with focus on children and families

Contact Details

Address: 625 Eden Park Drive, Suite 200, Cincinnati, OH 45202-6057

Phone: (513) 419-6587

Website: www.clevercrazes.com

Email: kclark@clevercrazes.com (General inquiries - Karen Clark)

Overview

Building Healthy Lives Foundation (BHLF) was established in 2003 as a private foundation focused on enhancing the education, fitness, critical thinking ability, health, well-being, and personal safety of children and their families. With total assets of $30.1 million and annual giving of approximately $285,000, the foundation operates as a private grantmaking organization led by founder and CEO Dianne Dunkelman. Since 2015, BHLF has awarded 672 individual grants totaling $2.68 million to organizations serving children and families. The foundation's most visible program is Clever Crazes for Kids (CCK), a free educational enrichment website launched in 2006 that has distributed over 1.5 million free educational materials across the country. Dunkelman, a 2015 Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame Laureate, also serves as Chief Strategist for Speaking of Women's Health and sits on multiple boards including ArtsWave and the University of Cincinnati Foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation appears to operate primarily through discretionary grantmaking rather than structured grant programs. Based on historical data, the foundation makes approximately 60-70 grants annually, with an average grant size of approximately $4,000-$4,600.

Priority Areas

  • Education: STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) academics for preK-8th grade students
  • Children's Health & Safety: Programs focused on physical fitness, personal safety, and well-being of children
  • Family Wellness: Initiatives supporting the health and well-being of families
  • Educational Enrichment: Free educational materials and resources for schools, after-school programs, and homeschool programs
  • Women's Health: Education and awareness related to women's health issues

What They Don't Fund

Information about exclusions is not publicly available. As a private foundation focused on children and families in the Cincinnati area, grants likely prioritize local organizations aligned with education and health themes.

Governance and Leadership

Dianne Dunkelman - President & CEO

  • Founder of Building Healthy Lives Foundation (2003)
  • Creator of Clever Crazes for Kids program (2006)
  • Previously established National Speaking of Women's Health Foundation (1996)
  • 2015 Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame Laureate
  • Serves on boards: ArtsWave, University of Cincinnati Foundation, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Phoebe D. Pardo - Chief Operating Officer

  • Oversees operations of Building Healthy Lives Foundation
  • Involved in establishing the Sawyer Pardo Fellowship Endowment Fund for LGBTQ+ Health at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

The foundation maintains a lean operational structure with officer compensation ranging from approximately $95,000 to $382,000 annually, representing 15.8% of total expenses.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Building Healthy Lives Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants based on trustee discretion and board decisions. There is no online application portal, published application guidelines, or formal proposal submission process available to the general public.

The foundation awards grants to organizations serving children and families, primarily in the Cincinnati region, but these grants appear to be initiated through the foundation's own identification of recipients rather than through unsolicited applications.

Getting on Their Radar

Clever Crazes for Kids Program Participation: Schools, after-school programs, and homeschool programs can register at clevercrazes.com to participate in the free educational platform. Schools earn eligibility for weekly cash prizes when students register and participate in CCK activities. This represents a potential entry point for relationship building with the foundation.

Contact Karen Clark: For information about Clever Crazes for Kids or the foundation, organizations can contact Karen Clark at kclark@clevercrazes.com or (513) 419-6587 to introduce their work and explore potential alignment with the foundation's mission.

Cincinnati Area Networking: Dianne Dunkelman serves on multiple Cincinnati boards including ArtsWave and the University of Cincinnati Foundation. Organizations connected to these networks or working in children's health and education in Cincinnati may have opportunities for relationship building.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation with discretionary grantmaking, timelines are determined by board meeting schedules and internal processes.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so traditional success rate metrics do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since Building Healthy Lives Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that align with the foundation's mission may consider:

Mission Alignment: The foundation's focus is clearly articulated: "enhancing the education, fitness, critical thinking ability, health, well-being and personal safety of children and their families." Organizations working in these specific areas, particularly in the Cincinnati region, are most likely to align with funding priorities.

Educational Innovation: The foundation's creation of Clever Crazes for Kids demonstrates a preference for innovative, engaging educational approaches that combine academics with health and wellness. Programs that use interactive, technology-enabled learning to reach children may resonate with the foundation's approach.

Serving Children and Families: With 672 grants awarded since 2015 to organizations serving children and families, the foundation has demonstrated consistent commitment to this demographic. Programs serving preK-8th grade students appear particularly aligned.

Free Access and Broad Reach: The Clever Crazes for Kids program distributes free educational materials and maintains a free website, suggesting the foundation values accessibility and programs that can serve children regardless of economic circumstances.

STREAM Education Focus: The foundation's emphasis on Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education suggests programs integrating these disciplines may be of interest.

Local Cincinnati Impact: As a Cincinnati-based foundation with local board connections, organizations serving the Greater Cincinnati area likely have stronger alignment.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This is a private foundation with discretionary grantmaking - unsolicited proposals are not accepted through a formal process
  • Relationship Building is Essential: Without an application process, connecting with foundation leadership through Cincinnati networks, boards, and programs is the only path to funding consideration
  • Clever Crazes Program Offers Entry Point: Schools and programs can participate in CCK to demonstrate alignment with the foundation's mission and establish a relationship
  • Focus on Children's Education and Health: Organizations must serve children (especially preK-8) and families with programs addressing education, fitness, health, well-being, or personal safety
  • Cincinnati Regional Focus: While not exclusively local, the foundation's leadership and connections suggest a preference for Greater Cincinnati area impact
  • Small to Mid-Size Grants: Historical data suggests average grants of $4,000-$5,000, making this more suitable for program-level funding than major capital campaigns
  • Long-Term Commitment: With 672 grants awarded since 2015, the foundation demonstrates sustained grantmaking, suggesting they may fund organizations multiple times if aligned with mission

References

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