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Humana Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$24.9M
Grant Range
$50K - $2.5M

Humana Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $24,941,687 (2023)
  • Foundation Assets: $417 million
  • Grant Range: No minimum or maximum (grants typically $50,000 - $2,500,000)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Kentucky (emphasis on Louisville), Florida, Louisiana, and Texas (with exceptions for Research and Innovation Fund grants)
  • Application Method: Annual grant cycle (opens January, closes February)

Contact Details

Address: 500 W. Main St., 2nd Floor, Louisville, KY 40201

Phone: 502.580.3950

Email: mhill1@humana.com

Website: www.humanafoundation.org

Grant Portal: humanafoundation.us-1.smartsimple.com

Media Contact: Marvin Hill, Director of Corporate Communications

Overview

The Humana Foundation Inc, established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., is a private foundation with total assets of $417 million (FY23). The Foundation awarded nearly $25 million in grants in 2023, focusing on health equity—advancing equitable access and outcomes for diverse communities by eliminating social and structural barriers to good health and healthcare. The Foundation's strategic mission centers on helping seniors, veterans, and school-aged children live connected, healthy lives by removing unnecessary barriers to health and healthcare. With concentrated investments in Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, the Foundation has evolved its strategy to make more sustainable impact in communities facing daunting health challenges. Under CEO Walter D. Woods' leadership since his appointment, the Foundation led a $50 million coronavirus relief and recovery effort and continues to prioritize evidence-based interventions addressing systemic health inequities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Connected Healthy Lives Grants - Variable amounts (single and multi-year grants available)

  • Targets local communities and trusted community organizations
  • Prioritizes efforts to connect people to programs and resources for healthier lives
  • Application through annual grant cycle via online portal (opens January 21, closes February 21)

Health Equity Innovation Fund - $750,000 - $2,500,000 (invitation only)

  • Seed funding for testing interventions and solutions addressing preventable chronic diseases
  • Focus on populations facing health inequity
  • Organizations must complete Contact Us form to express interest

Research Fund - Typically $250,000 per award (invitation only)

  • High-impact investments for translational and academic research
  • Advances testing and evidence-based programming in nutrition and emotional health
  • Submit inquiries via Contact Us form on website

Disaster Philanthropy - Variable amounts

  • Immediate relief and long-term community health and recovery
  • May include disaster preparedness grants

Priority Areas

The Foundation concentrates on two primary thematic areas:

Creating Healthy Emotional Connections:

  • Mental health support with emphasis on senior companionship and loneliness
  • Suicide prevention initiatives
  • Promoting equity in mental health services
  • Youth mental health programming
  • Veteran mental health support

Shaping a Healthier Approach to Nutrition:

  • Enabling access in diverse and underserved senior populations
  • Educational efforts around nutrition
  • Food security initiatives for school-aged children
  • Programs addressing chronic disease through nutrition interventions

Target Populations:

  • Seniors (primary focus)
  • School-aged children
  • Veterans
  • Underserved and diverse populations facing health inequities

What They Don't Fund

  • Event sponsorships or fundraising events
  • Organizations that discriminate based on age, political affiliation, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or religious belief
  • Organizations providing direct benefits to Humana associates or their families
  • Most religious organizations (exception: non-denominational community programs like soup kitchens or homeless shelters, which must go through nomination process)
  • Private foundations or Donor Advised Funds
  • Projects outside Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas (exception: Research Fund and Health Equity Innovation Fund consider grants regardless of geography)

Governance and Leadership

CEO: Walter D. Woods, MBA Walter D. Woods leads the Foundation with a focus on helping communities become exemplars of health equity where leadership, culture, and systems work to improve and sustain positive health outcomes. A Howard University alumnus, Woods said upon his appointment: "I am grateful to have this opportunity with the Humana Foundation at a time when the overall health of our nation has not been trending in the right direction." On the Foundation's evolving strategy, Woods stated: "We've been evolving the Humana Foundation's strategy – to find new ways to make a more sustainable impact in Louisville and the other seven communities we serve, because we know that for far too many people in our community, achieving their best health is not easy." Regarding COVID-19's impact, Woods noted: "We were already doing that work and when the coronavirus pandemic came about, we had to focus even more on that work because it exacerbated so many of the problems. It was almost as if the fog was lifted and all different inequities were revealed."

Board of Directors: Includes Bruce Broussard (former CEO of Humana Inc.) among other members. Complete board information available at humanafoundation.org/Foundation/about/board-directors.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Connected Healthy Lives Grants (Public Application Process):

  1. Pre-Application Research: Review FAQ page and align proposal with one of the four commitment areas
  2. System Access: Access grant management system (SmartSimple) at humanafoundation.us-1.smartsimple.com
  3. Registration: Create organizational profile and complete eligibility check
  4. Account Activation: Confirm email and set password
  5. Profile Configuration: Complete organization profile on home page
  6. Application Submission: Submit proposal during annual grant cycle window

Application Window: Opens January 21, closes February 21 at 3 p.m. EST annually

Resources Available:

  • Sample application
  • FAQ resource document
  • SmartSimple User Guide for system navigation
  • Informational webinars (nearly 600 registrants attended previous webinars)

Health Equity Innovation Fund & Research Fund: Both programs operate by invitation only. Interested organizations should complete the Contact Us form on the Foundation's website to express interest and submit research ideas.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation states it will "conduct a deep evaluation of the proposals and follow up with organizations accordingly on next steps." Grant awards are typically announced several months after the application window closes.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation received nearly 600 webinar registrants for application information sessions, indicating competitive interest. The Foundation emphasizes that "not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients."

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation's policy states that normally, only one grant is made to an organization in a 12-month period. While there is no explicit waiting period mentioned for unsuccessful applicants, the Foundation encourages organizations to continue exploring future options. Multi-year grants do not require reapplication for subsequent years if awarded multi-year funding initially.

Application Success Factors

Based on guidance from the Humana Foundation's resources and recent grantmaking patterns:

Alignment with Priority Populations: Applications must clearly serve seniors, school-aged children, or veterans in Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, or Texas (unless applying for Research or Innovation Fund grants). The Foundation prioritizes "underserved and diverse populations facing health inequities."

Clear Articulation of Results: Proposals should demonstrate measurable outcomes and cost-effectiveness per participant. The Foundation looks for evidence that the proposed approach achieves stated goals.

Evidence-Based Approaches: Recent awards show preference for interventions with research backing. The Foundation invested over $2 million in research grants to universities examining barriers to healthy emotional connections and approaches to nutrition, demonstrating commitment to evidence-based programming.

Capable Team and Partnerships: Applications should identify key staff with relevant expertise and strategic community partners. The Foundation values "local communities and trusted community organizations."

Budget Clarity:

  • Direct costs should be fully trackable project expenses
  • Indirect costs capped at 15% of direct costs (excluding consultants, equipment, fees, and tuition)
  • Budget allocation should align with Foundation strategy
  • Multi-year budgets should be included if requesting multi-year funding

Strategic Focus Areas: Recent 2024 awards totaling $15.2 million went to programs addressing:

  • Senior loneliness and social isolation (e.g., $2.5 million to Older Adult Technology Services for educational programming)
  • Mental health resources and suicide prevention
  • Nutrition access for seniors
  • Youth emotional health initiatives

Geographic Concentration: While four states are eligible, the Foundation has particular emphasis on Louisville, KY, where it has concentrated resources to create a model for health equity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on health equity lens: Frame proposals around eliminating barriers to health and healthcare for underserved populations, not just providing services. The Foundation's strategic evolution emphasizes sustainable systemic change.

  • Target the right population in the right place: Applications must serve seniors, veterans, or school-aged children in Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, or Texas—with Louisville, KY receiving special emphasis. Research and Innovation Fund grants are exceptions to geographic restrictions.

  • Choose mental health or nutrition: Proposals should clearly fall within one of two priority areas: creating healthy emotional connections (mental health/loneliness) or shaping healthier approaches to nutrition. Other health topics are not funded.

  • Prepare for annual cycle: Mark calendars for the January 21 - February 21 application window. Late applications are not accepted. Utilize the webinar, FAQ, and sample application provided.

  • Consider multi-year if appropriate: While most grants are single-year, multi-year grants are available on an occasional basis. Multi-year awards don't require reapplication, so make the case for sustained support if your intervention requires it.

  • Demonstrate cost-effectiveness: With grants ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million, show strong value per participant served. The Foundation examines budget allocation carefully and caps indirect costs at 15%.

  • Build evidence base: The Foundation's significant investment in research grants ($2 million+ to universities) signals interest in programs that can demonstrate effectiveness and contribute to knowledge about interventions addressing chronic disease through nutrition and emotional health.

References

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