Renown Health Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $9,065,999 (2023 via Foundation) + $196.1M (2024 Community Benefit via Renown Health)
• Decision Time: 3-4 weeks to finalist notification
• Grant Range: Up to $10,000 per award (Better Together Community Benefits Grant Program)
• Geographic Focus: Northern Nevada (areas served by Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed

Contact Details

Renown Health Foundation

• Address: 245 E. Liberty St., Suite 400, Reno, NV 89501
• Phone: (775) 982-5545
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: renown.org/About/Renown-Health-Foundation

Community Health Manager: Kerry Kelly

Chief Development Officer: Greg Walaitis

Overview

Founded as part of Renown Health's over 160-year history of serving Northern Nevada, Renown Health Foundation is the fundraising arm of Nevada's only locally governed, charitable, not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system. In 2023, the Foundation provided $9,065,999 in grants through 6 awards. Renown Health as a whole invested over $274.4 million in community benefits in 2023, including unreimbursed healthcare services, health professions education, and grants, sponsorships, and partnerships for more than 85 local nonprofit organizations. The organization launched its Better Together Community Benefits Grant Program in 2023 to address the region's most critical healthcare needs through community partnerships. Renown Regional Medical Center has been named #1 Hospital for the State of Nevada for 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Better Together Community Benefits Grant Program

• Award Amount: Up to $10,000 per organization
• Application Method: Annual fixed deadline with two-stage process (application submission followed by finalist interviews)
• Frequency: Annual grant cycle
• Limitation: One application per year from any single non-profit organization

Priority Areas

The Better Together program focuses on three critical healthcare needs:

1. Mental Health - Projects addressing behavioral health and substance abuse
2. Access to Healthcare and Community Services - Initiatives improving healthcare accessibility and affordability
3. Maternal and Child Health - Programs supporting women, children, and youth/adolescent health

Additional Foundation priorities include:

• State-of-the-art medical equipment purchases
• Facility development
• Research and clinical trials
• Physician and researcher recruitment
• Community health programs
• Educational training for healthcare professionals
• Cancer care (William N. Pennington Cancer Institute)
• Heart and vascular health
• Rehabilitation services
• Pediatric services (Renown Children's Hospital Endowment)
• Behavioral health and addiction
• Robotic surgery (Renown Institute for Robotic Surgery)
• Nursing education (Gerald "Jerry" Smith Academic Practice Partnership in Support of Nurses)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but the Better Together program requires:

• Current 501(c)(3) designation (with exceptions for public agencies including health departments, school districts, or other government entities)
• Alignment with Renown Health's mission, vision, and values
• Focus on the three priority healthcare needs listed above

Governance and Leadership

Foundation Board of Directors

The Renown Health Foundation Board consists of 27 local volunteers with diverse expertise.

Board Chair: Brian Cushard (President of LP Insurance Services in Reno, serving 2024-2026)

Board Members: Megan Baroska, Don Bernard II, Michael Bloch MD, Eric Breslow, Sarah Carmona Zink, Brian Cushard (Chair), Max Coppes MD, Chelsea Dethmers, Rebecca Dickson, Teresa Di Loreto, Brian Erling MD, Fred Giuffrida, Matt Gray, Kirstin Griffin, Susan Hinchman, Stephanie Kruse, Jimmy Lao, Robert Levy (Treasurer), Laif Meidell, Eric Nielsen MD, Sushil Patel, Alise Porto, Nariman Rahimzadeh MD, Michael Richardson, Michael Thomas, and Joe Wieczorek.

Executive Leadership

Chief Development Officer: Greg Walaitis (over 20 years of experience in philanthropy, board development, fundraising and donor stewardship)

Renown Health President & CEO: Dr. Brian Erling, MD, MBA (appointed October 2022)

Leadership Quotes

Dr. Brian Erling on community partnerships: "Nevada ranks near the bottom of health rankings in the U.S. with high mortality rates for chronic conditions. We must continue to work with partners in the field, who share our mission - to keep people healthy, to make healthcare more accessible and affordable, and to achieve the vision of a healthier Nevada."

Dr. Brian Erling on nonprofit mission: "We take pride in being Nevada's only locally governed, charitable, not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system, reinvesting every dollar earned back into the health of our community."

Greg Walaitis on board priorities: "Our board helps to connect, engage and inspire people in the community to assist with our not-for-profit healing mission."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Better Together Community Benefits Grant Program (Annual Cycle)

Applications are submitted annually through a structured process:

1. Request for Proposals Released: Early October (October 1, 2025 for 2026 funding)
2. Virtual CHNA & Better Together Briefing: Mid-October (October 22, 2025 at 9 a.m. for 2026 funding)
3. Application Deadline: Mid-November (November 14, 2025 at 5 p.m. for 2026 funding)
4. Finalists Announced: Early January (January 12, 2026 for 2026 funding)
5. Virtual Interviews Scheduled: After finalist announcement

Decision Timeline

• Initial review period: Approximately 8 weeks from application deadline to finalist notification
• First-stage notification: 3-4 weeks after application deadline, applicants learn if they've been selected for second-round interviews
• Final decisions: Announced following virtual finalist interviews in early January for funding beginning that calendar year

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly disclosed. However:

• In 2025, 51 organizations received funding
• In 2023, 74 organizations received grants or sponsorships
• The Foundation made 6 awards in 2023, 4 awards in 2022, and 7 awards in 2021

Applications undergo a rigorous and thorough scoring process by a panel of public health experts, designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and the selection of the most impactful projects.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is publicly documented. Organizations are limited to one application per year from any single non-profit organization.

Application Success Factors

Based on Renown Health's stated criteria and guidance:

Alignment with Priority Populations

Grants are awarded based on "alignment with priority populations, the scope of their work, and the strength of their project plan." Strong applications demonstrate how their project will serve populations most affected by the three critical healthcare needs.

Demonstrate Understanding of Community Health Needs

Review the 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) available at renown.org/CHNA for detailed definitions of critical healthcare needs. Applications that reference and align with CHNA findings demonstrate thoroughness.

Strength of Project Plan

• Be clear and organized in your narrative
• Provide realistic, feasible plans
• Show how the project addresses one or more of the three priority areas
• Demonstrate measurable impact potential

Mission, Vision, and Values Alignment

Applicants must demonstrate alignment with Renown Health's mission, vision, and values:

Vision: Create a healthier future through exceptional care and discovery

Values:

• People First: Creating environments where people feel safe, valued, supported, and respected
• Compassion: Showing genuine concern for others' well-being

Application Quality

• Follow all instructions carefully
• Submit by the deadline
• Proofread thoroughly - eliminate typographical errors and formatting issues
• Write for a general audience while including sufficient technical detail
• Be honest and realistic about challenges and plans

Partnership Orientation

Dr. Erling emphasizes working "with partners in the field, who share our mission." Applications should convey a collaborative spirit and willingness to work with Renown Health toward shared community health goals.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Review the CHNA first: The 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment is your roadmap - applications must align with documented community needs in mental health, access to healthcare, or maternal/child health
• One shot per year: Organizations can only submit one application annually, so make it count by selecting your strongest project aligned with priorities
• Attend the briefing: The virtual CHNA & Better Together briefing in October provides critical guidance - participation demonstrates commitment and helps ensure alignment
• Think partnership, not transaction: Renown emphasizes collaboration with organizations that share their mission to improve Nevada's health rankings - frame your proposal as a partnership opportunity
• Grants are modest but strategic: With awards up to $10,000, these grants work best as seed funding, capacity building, or to enhance existing programs rather than as primary program funding
• Expect competition: With a rigorous expert panel review process and limited awards, applications must be exceptionally well-crafted and clearly demonstrate impact potential
• Geographic focus matters: Your project should serve populations in areas covered by Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center in Northern Nevada

References

• Renown Health Foundation website: https://www.renown.org/About/Renown-Health-Foundation (accessed January 2026)
• "Better Together: Renown Seeks Community Health Partners," Renown Health Newsroom: https://www.renown.org/about/newsroom/better-together-renown-seeks-community-health-partners (accessed January 2026)
• "Renown Health Expands Their Not-for-Profit Mission, Partners with 51 Community Agencies to Address Area's Most Critical Healthcare Needs," Renown Health Newsroom: https://es.renown.org/about/newsroom/renown-health-expands-their-not-for-profit-mission-partners-with-51-community-agencies-to (accessed January 2026)
• "Sharing the Love: Renown Health & Hometown Health Fund Grants to Support 74 Local Non-Profit Community Organizations," Renown Health Newsroom: https://www.renown.org/about/newsroom/renown-health-and-hometown-health-fund-grants-to-support-74-local-non-profit-community-organizations (accessed January 2026)
• "Renown Health Unveils New Strategic Plan, Mission, Vision and Values; Launches Community Grants Program to Support Most Critical Healthcare Needs," Renown Health Newsroom: https://www.renown.org/about/newsroom/renown-health-unveils-new-strategic-plan-and-mvv (accessed January 2026)
• "Department Spotlight: Renown Health Foundation," Renown Health Blog: https://www.renown.org/blog/department-spotlight-renown-health-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• "The Impactful Role of Renown Health Foundation's Board of Directors," Renown Health Blog: https://www.renown.org/blog/the-impactful-role-of-renown-health-foundations-board-of-directors (accessed January 2026)
• "Renown Health Releases 2024 Annual Report: Highlighting a Year of Growth, Innovation and Community Benefit," Renown Health Newsroom: https://www.renown.org/about/newsroom/renown-releases-2024-annual-report-highlighting-a-year-of-growth-innovation-and-community-benefit (accessed January 2026)
• Renown Health Foundation, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/942972749 (accessed January 2026)
• Renown Health Foundation, Instrumentl 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/renown-health-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• Renown Health Foundation Contact Information: https://renownlegacy.org/?pageID=21 (accessed January 2026)