The Michigan Health Endowment Fund (the “MHEF”) announced in December that, through two rounds of its 2014 Pilot Grant Program, it has awarded a combined $36.15 million in grants to 10 organizations that provide health and wellness services to older adults and children.
The MHEF awarded a total of $38.15 million in grant awards in its first year of operation. The mission of the MHEF is to improve the health of Michigan residents and reduce the cost of health care with special emphasis on the health and wellness of children and seniors. The MHEF was created through the passage of Public Act 4 of 2013, which authorized certain changes to how Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) operates in the state.
The following nonprofit organizations were approved for funding:
- Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan
- Easter Seals – Michigan, Inc.
- Food Bank Council of Michigan
- Michigan Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs
- Michigan Association for Local Public Health
- Michigan Association of United Ways
- Michigan Fitness Foundation
- Michigan Primary Care Association
- Michigan Recreation and Parks Association
- Michigan State Alliance of YMCAs
The MHEF Fund is a current client of Neithercut Philanthropy Advisors (NPA), and the firm has worked closely with the Fund during its inception to develop operational and grantmaking strategies that will enable it to fulfill its mission of meeting the healthcare needs of Michigan’s residents and reducing healthcare costs.
“It is gratifying to work with an organization as deeply committed to its mission as the Michigan Health Endowment Fund,” said NPA President Mark Neithercut. “The Fund has generated tremendous momentum in its inaugural year and we look forward to helping its leadership continue to make a difference in 2015 and beyond.”