Palm Health Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2.7 million (2024 grant investments)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by program
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $1,000,000+
• Geographic Focus: Palm Beach County, Florida exclusively

Contact Details

• Website: www.palmhealthfoundation.org
• Phone: 561-833-6333
• Email: info@phfpbc.org
• Address: 700 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 103, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Overview

Palm Health Foundation is a $85 million grant-making foundation established in 2001 from the sale of Good Samaritan and St. Mary's hospitals in West Palm Beach. Since its inception, the foundation has invested over $95 million in Palm Beach County health initiatives. In 2012, the foundation strategically shifted from responsive grantmaking to an invitation-only model focused on systems change and generational transformation. Winner of the 2020-2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize, Palm Health Foundation applies a health equity lens to all its work, prioritizing resident-led solutions in communities experiencing the greatest health disparities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Brain Health Innovation Fund: $100,000 - $1,000,000+ (invitation-only strategic partnerships advancing brain health technologies, treatments, and resources)

Healthier Together Community Grants: $1 million per community over 5 years (long-term place-based investments in six Palm Beach County communities)

Community Changemakers Fund Mini-Grants: $2,000 - $5,000 (resident-led health initiatives, collaborative funding model)

BeWellPBC Mini-Grants: Up to $5,000 (behavioral health initiatives for children and families)

Nursing & Behavioral Health Scholarships: Up to $10,000 per student (applications open November 1 - February 1 annually through George Snow Scholarship Fund)

Priority Areas

Advancing Brain Health

• Neuroscience research and innovation
• NeuroArts programming
• Brain health awareness and education
• Dementia and cognitive health initiatives
• Brain Coast Alliance partnerships

Strengthening Healthcare Workforce

• Nursing education scholarships
• Behavioral health professional training
• Healthcare workforce development
• Career pipeline programs

Cultivating Resident-Led Change in Neighborhood Health

• Place-based health initiatives
• Community-driven solutions
• Health equity programming
• Social determinants of health
• Youth mental health support

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation:

• Does not accept unsolicited grant proposals
• Only funds initiatives within Palm Beach County, Florida
• Does not provide general operating support through open applications
• Focuses exclusively on health-related initiatives

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Patrick McNamara, LCSW - Named Hero in Medicine and Nonprofit Executive of the Year, McNamara has led the foundation's strategic transformation since joining. He emphasizes: "The best way to explain Healthier Together is that it puts residents at the core of developing health solutions around their own needs rather than force-fitting a system that doesn't always recognize the complexity, culture, context and circumstances of diverse communities."

Board Chair: Dr. Marsha Fishbane - Pediatrician and public health physician with 43 years of practice, board member since 2015, previously served 17 years on the Community Investment Committee

Board Leadership: Stephen M. Zaloom, J.D., LL.M. (Co-Chair), Frances Fisher (Co-Chair), Nathan Nason, Esq. (Treasurer)

Additional Board Members: Denise Bober, MS; Chioma Deere, Esq.; Julie Fisher Cummings, MSSW; Barbara M. James; Andrea Stephenson-Royster, MBA, MHS; Jill Merrell; DeAnna Pledger, CPIA

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder primarily operates through invitation-only strategic grantmaking. They do not accept unsolicited grant proposals for their major initiatives. However, specific programs have open application processes:

Scholarships: Apply November 1 - February 1 annually through George Snow Scholarship Fund at www.scholarship.org

Healthier Together Mini-Grants: Available only to residents and organizations in the six designated communities. Applications vary by community - Healthier Glades requires workshop attendance before applying.

BeWellPBC Mini-Grants: Application process announced through BeWellPBC partners and website

Getting on Their Radar

Palm Health Foundation identifies partners through:

• Their six Healthier Together community initiatives where they actively engage with residents and local organizations
• Participation in BeWellPBC behavioral health collaborative where they meet potential partners
• Their Brain Coast Alliance network connecting brain health organizations
• Community Investment Committee members who have deep connections across Palm Beach County
• President Patrick McNamara is accessible at community health forums and can be reached at pmcnamara@phfpbc.org for strategic partnership discussions
• The foundation hosts community conversations and listening sessions in their focus communities where organizations can share their work

Decision Timeline

Varies by program - strategic grants determined through invitation process; mini-grants typically decided within 4-8 weeks; scholarships announced by April following February 1 deadline

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed for invitation-only grants. Healthier Glades mini-grants: 52 recipients since 2019. Community Changemakers Fund first round: 21 grants awarded. Scholarships: 92 students awarded in 2024.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for invitation-only strategic grants. Mini-grant recipients can apply for subsequent rounds if eligible. Scholarship applicants can reapply annually if they meet criteria.

Application Success Factors

Based on Palm Health Foundation's documented approach and recent grants:

• Demonstrate resident leadership: The foundation specifically funds "resident-led, community-driven solutions" - successful projects like the Healthier Glades mini-grants show community members directly leading initiatives
• Use their language: Incorporate terms like "health equity," "systems change," "generational transformation," and "social determinants of health" that align with their strategic framework
• Show collaborative approach: The Community Changemakers Fund model demonstrates they value multi-funder partnerships - highlight existing or potential collaborative funding
• Focus on their six target communities: Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Glades, Jupiter, Lake Worth Beach, and northern West Palm Beach/Riviera Beach receive priority attention
• Embrace innovation with measured risk: McNamara describes creating a "safe-to-fail environment" for trying "new, nontraditional approaches" - propose innovative but realistic solutions
• Connect to their three strategic pillars: Explicitly link your work to brain health, healthcare workforce, or neighborhood health transformation
• Emphasize long-term systems change: They've moved away from "short-term grant-making" - demonstrate how your work creates lasting structural change rather than temporary relief

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only for major grants - Focus on building relationships through their community initiatives rather than submitting unsolicited proposals • Geographic restriction is absolute - Only Palm Beach County initiatives are considered; no exceptions for regional or statewide programs • Health equity is non-negotiable - Every initiative must demonstrate how it addresses health disparities and serves communities with greatest need • Resident leadership is prioritized - Projects led by community members themselves receive preference over external organizations proposing solutions • Long-term commitment preferred - Their $1 million over 5 years model shows preference for sustained partnerships over one-time grants • Collaborative funding welcomed - Their multi-funder initiatives show openness to being part of larger funding collaboratives • Direct engagement opportunities exist - Despite invitation-only model, mini-grants, scholarships, and community initiatives provide entry points for new organizations

References

• Palm Health Foundation Official Website (www.palmhealthfoundation.org) - Accessed February 2025
• Palm Health Foundation 2024 Annual Report - "Grant Investments and Scholarship Awards"
• Healthier Together PBC Website (www.healthiertogetherpbc.org) - Community initiatives information - Accessed February 2025
• BeWellPBC Website (www.bewellpbc.org) - Behavioral health collaborative information - Accessed February 2025
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize Announcement (2020-2021)
• Authority Magazine Interview with Patrick McNamara on Medium.com - "Social Impact Heroes" series - Published 2023
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Palm Healthcare Foundation Inc Form 990 data
• George Snow Scholarship Fund (www.scholarship.org) - Scholarship application information
• Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report - "Palm Health Foundation Names New Board Chair" - 2024
• Boca Raton Tribune - Coverage of Palm Health Foundation grants and initiatives - Multiple articles 2023-2024