Better Health Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation is a 501(c)(3) working in the Greater Quad Cities region on mental and behavioural health, maternal and child health up to age five, or obesity and diabetes risk, this foundation is worth approaching.
- It does not fund individuals, fiscal agents, political campaigns or lobbying, private foundations, sponsorships or events, conferences, direct clinical care, endowments, capital projects, debt reduction, or organisations that compete with MercyOne Genesis, MercyOne or its affiliates.
- Most of its grants are modest, with half of its 42 grants to organisations at $75,000 or less, so a request in the typical range of $17,500 to $210,000 is realistic, and Discretionary requests are capped at up to $8,000.
- For Capacity Building or Service Strengthening, send a Letter of Inquiry first, as a full proposal is requested only if invited, and note that these cycles are considered in the fall and spring, while Innovation typically opens in January.
- The filing says its guidance asks for evidence of the problem's scope at the start, ongoing community engagement, and a plan for sustaining the work, and about 32% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded before, so build those points in from the first approach.
Overview
Better Health Foundation is a US private foundation based in Davenport, IA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Better Health Foundation seeks to improve community health outcomes across the greater Quad Cities region through funding and partnerships. It welcomes proposals from 501(c)3 organisations in the region, with services and funding wholly focused there. Its stated priorities are mental and behavioural health, maternal and child health up to age five, and reducing obesity and diabetes risk. Capacity Building grants strengthen nonprofit operations and service reach; Service Strengthening grants support project-specific, outcomes-based services, with additional consideration for nonprofit collaborations expanding services in rural communities. Innovation grants seek new players, methods or partnerships, while Discretionary grants help nonprofits respond to emergencies or unforeseen expenses that impede service provision. Its approach looks for measurable results, community engagement and sustainable effort.
Themes
- Mental and behavioural health
- Maternal and child health
- Obesity and diabetes risk
Geographic Focus
Greater Quad Cities region: Cedar, Clinton, Louisa and 6 more counties.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Fiscal agents (pass through organizations)
- Political campaigns or lobbying efforts
- Private foundations
- Sponsorships or events
- Conferences and Convenings
- Direct medical care in a clinical setting
- Endowments
- Building or Capital projects and campaigns
- Debt Reduction
- Exclusively religious purposes, although service-providing, faith-based organizations are welcome to apply regarding those service purposes
- Laboratory or clinical research or individual academic support (e.g., dissertation support)
- Organizations that compete, or appear to compete, with MercyOne Genesis, MercyOne or its affiliates
How to apply
For competitive grants, seekers submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) followed by a full proposal if invited. Discretionary grant requests are considered throughout the year; applications are made available to qualified nonprofit organizations by contacting the Foundation office.
Deadlines:
- Capacity Building cycles are considered in the fall and spring.
- Service Strengthening cycles are considered in the fall and spring.
- The Innovation cycle typically opens in January.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 32% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 42 grants to organisations were $75,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Requests should provide evidence of the scope of the problem and its presence in the community at the start of the proposal.
- Applicants should show how the community has been engaged and will remain engaged throughout the project.
- The Foundation assesses applicants’ strategies for sustaining their effort and resources, and seeks to avoid dependency.
- Requests should be evidence-based in identifying problems and proposing solutions.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 32% of grant dollars went to organisations Better Health Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 22 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $70,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- MercyOne Genesis Foundation · Improve community health$255,0002024 tax year
- Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center · Innovation/capacity building$225,0002024 tax year
- Community Health Care · Innovation$200,0002024 tax year
- Palomares Social Justice Center · Innovation$195,0002024 tax year
- Rediscover Recovery Community Center · Innovation/capacity building$157,6162024 tax year
- Steam on Wheels · Innovation/capacity building$140,0002024 tax year
- EveryChild · Capacity building & service$75,0002024 tax year
- SAL Community Services · Capacity building & service$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Namrata Mallik MD — Director
- James Hetrick — Director
- Dave Heller — Director
- David Gellerman — Director
- Jennifer Feeney — Director
- Edmund H Carroll — Director
- Nicholas Brandt — Director
- Mark Bawden — Director
- Sandra Deke — Secretary / Treasurer
- Robert Woodall — Vice President
- William Langley MD — Board President
- Melinda M Gowey — CEO
- Avery Pearl II — Director
- Karen Wickwire PhD — Director
- Chris Wahlig — Director
- Verletta Saxon Ph D — Director
- Vicki Palmer — Director
- Claire Motto-Steil — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $2,512,886 | $2,032,251 | $45,695,613 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,528,061 | $1,903,981 | $49,578,986 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Better Health Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Davenport, IA
- thebetterhealthfoundation.org
Applying to Better Health Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Davenport, IA
- thebetterhealthfoundation.org