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Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health

Annual Giving
$170.3M

Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $170,322,267 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 24 awards (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified (Letters of Inquiry receive response within 4 weeks)
  • Grant Range: Varies by program (recent grants range from research projects to multi-year initiatives)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily California (Santa Clara and San Mateo counties for community programs); National for CYSHCN systems change work
  • Application Method: Rolling Letters of Inquiry (currently paused)

Contact Details

Address: Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, 400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 340, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Phone: (650) 461-9800

Website: https://lpfch.org/

Grantmaking Program: https://lpfch.org/program-for-children-and-youth-with-special-health-care-needs/grants/

Overview

Founded in 1996, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Palo Alto, California (EIN: 77-0440090). The Foundation raises funds for child and maternal health at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford School of Medicine, and shapes programs that make health care more accessible for children with complex health needs through grantmaking and advocacy. In 2023, the Foundation awarded $170,322,267 in grants across 24 awards. The organization achieved a Four-Star rating with a 93% score from Charity Navigator. Under the leadership of President and CEO Cynthia J. Brandt, PhD (since 2018), the Foundation achieved record fundraising of $293 million in a single year. The Foundation's vision is that "resources never stand in the way of the best possible health for all kids and moms."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation's grantmaking program focuses on systems change for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) through three strategic areas:

1. Care Coordination

Supporting effective care coordination that connects families to high-quality care, facilitates communication, and supports families as primary caregivers. The Foundation has played a pivotal role in developing national care coordination standards.

2. Family Engagement

Centering families' voices and perspectives in policy and program development. The Foundation requires grantees to engage family members meaningfully in all grant-funded activities and to compensate families for their time and expertise.

3. System Standards

Developing research-backed standards that organizations use as benchmarks for improving services and measuring progress, holding systems accountable for meeting families' needs.

Recent Grant Examples (2024)

Health Equity and Systems Change Grants:

  • National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP): Supporting state innovations for equitable systems of care for CYSHCN
  • University of Utah Department of Pediatrics: Development of a novel measure of ableism in pediatric health care
  • University of Chicago: "Lost in Transition" - population-level analysis of CYSHCN transitioning from pediatric to adult care
  • Johns Hopkins University: Optimizing the home environment for children with disabilities
  • NORC at the University of Chicago: First comprehensive national study of oral health needs of CYSHCN
  • Stanford School of Medicine: Optimizing medical device education for Spanish-speaking caregivers
  • Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care: Advancing DEI in children's hospital Patient and Family Advisory Councils

Priority Areas

The Foundation gives priority to programs and projects that:

  • Affect a large number of children and families
  • Build on existing knowledge
  • Have potential for sustainability and replicability
  • Address inequities in systems of care for CYSHCN and their families
  • Engage family members as full partners in planning and implementation

What They Don't Fund

  • Disease or condition-specific projects
  • Direct service programs
  • Biomedical research or technology applications
  • Religious organizations
  • Fundraising sponsorships
  • Endowments
  • Capital campaigns or annual appeals
  • Individual applicants

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Cynthia J. Brandt, PhD - President and CEO (since 2018) Dr. Brandt brings over 20 years of experience in fundraising, campaign leadership, and external relations. She previously served as campaign director at the Smithsonian Institution and held advancement positions at Mills College and Stanford University. Under her leadership, the Foundation achieved record fundraising of $293 million in a single year.

Susan Ford Dorsey - Chair, Board of Directors

Kathryn Coulbourn - Chief Financial Officer

The Foundation employs a 98-member staff and is governed by a board that includes accomplished leaders from venture capital, medicine, technology, and philanthropy.

Foundation Philosophy

The Foundation emphasizes that "transformation cannot happen without engaging families as full partners" in planning and implementation. They actively and intentionally partner with grantees to address inequities in systems of care for CYSHCN and their families.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: As of the most recent update, the Foundation states: "We are not currently accepting Letters of Intent for grant proposals."

Standard Process (when accepting applications):

  1. Submit a Letter of Inquiry through the Foundation's online Grant Portal
  2. Letters of Inquiry are accepted on a rolling basis
  3. Applicants receive a response within four weeks
  4. If invited, submit a full proposal
  5. Family experts from diverse perspectives review grant proposals

Eligibility Requirements

Organizations must:

  • Be classified as tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) OR be a public or educational entity
  • Be a collaboration of nonprofit and public agencies with a designated fiscal sponsor; OR
  • Be an entity that has a charitable purpose
  • Promote and maintain nondiscriminatory policies in programs and the workplace

Decision Timeline

  • Letter of Inquiry Response: Within 4 weeks of submission (when accepting applications)
  • Full Review Timeline: Not publicly specified
  • Grantees submit reports and deliverables through the Grant Portal using provided templates

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified. Given the rolling application process (when open), organizations may likely reapply, but specific restrictions or waiting periods are not documented.

Application Success Factors

Critical Requirements

1. Family Engagement is Non-Negotiable The Foundation requires that family members have a meaningful role in all grant-funded activities. As stated on their website: "The Foundation requires their grantees to engage family members in meaningful ways in all grant-funded activities, and to compensate families for their time and expertise."

The Foundation believes appropriate compensation of family experts:

  • Encourages equal partnership throughout all stages of a project
  • Builds capacity for diverse representation of family members
  • Reduces barriers to participation
  • Demonstrates the value of the parent voice

2. Focus on Systems Change, Not Direct Services Applications must focus on improving systems of care rather than providing direct services. Successful projects demonstrate potential to affect large numbers of children and families through policy, standards, research, or system-level interventions.

3. Equity and Inclusion The Foundation actively seeks to address inequities in systems of care. Successful applications demonstrate:

  • Understanding of health disparities affecting CYSHCN
  • Strategies to address barriers to care
  • Commitment to reaching underserved populations
  • Cultural competence and language accessibility

4. Alignment with Focus Areas Projects must align with at least one of the three focus areas: care coordination, family engagement, or system standards. Successful projects often demonstrate how they advance multiple focus areas.

5. Budget Compliance Applications must adhere to specific budget requirements:

  • Indirect costs may not exceed 15% of direct costs
  • Honoraria maximum: $800/day
  • The Foundation does not purchase major equipment such as computers

Recent Funding Patterns

Recent grants demonstrate the Foundation's priorities:

  • Research and Evidence-Building: Multiple grants support first-of-their-kind research (e.g., national oral health study, ableism measurement tool, transition analysis)
  • Policy and Systems Impact: Grants target state-level policy change and national standards development
  • Health Equity Focus: Recent grants explicitly address equity for Spanish-speaking families, DEI in advisory councils, and home environment optimization
  • Sustainability: Projects demonstrate potential for replication and long-term impact beyond grant period

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Family engagement is mandatory and must be budgeted: Ensure your proposal includes specific plans for meaningful family participation with appropriate compensation ($800/day honorarium maximum)
  • Think systems-level impact, not direct service: Focus on policy, standards, research, or system improvements that will affect many children rather than individual service delivery
  • Align with one or more of three focus areas: Care coordination, family engagement, or system standards - clearly articulate which area(s) your project advances
  • Address health equity explicitly: Demonstrate understanding of disparities and concrete strategies to reduce barriers for underserved CYSHCN populations
  • Build on existing knowledge: Show how your project leverages current research, proven models, or established best practices rather than starting from scratch
  • Demonstrate replicability and sustainability: Explain how your work can be adapted by others and sustained beyond the grant period
  • Currently not accepting applications: Monitor the Foundation's website for when Letters of Inquiry reopen; use this time to build relationships and refine your project design

References

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