October 6, 2022 – The American Heart Association and like-minded donors are working to combat barriers preventing access to equitable health for all by launching the Elizabeth Elting Fund. Through the Association’s Social Impact Funds — including complementary named funds such as the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund and the Elizabeth Elting Fund — donors have the opportunity to invest in local entrepreneurs and organizations that are breaking down the social and economic barriers to health equity.
About 50 million people in the U.S. are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease because they lack the most basic necessities. These factors contribute to life quality and expectancy.
Further expanding the impact of their initial philanthropic contributions to the Association’s Social Impact Funds, five dedicated donors — Liz Elting, Michael Burlant, and the Elizabeth Elting Foundation, Oscar and Cathy Munoz Pave it Forward Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, James and Donna Sublett Family Foundation, and the Helen and Will Webster Foundation — recently made additional investments increasing the total nationwide investment of the funds to $32 million. These contributions help provide financial grants and low-interest loans for evidence-based, community-driven work in targeted communities nationwide. Currently, the funds are contributing to projects addressing issues including access to health and health care, food security and economic resiliency and poverty reduction in New York City; along the east and west coasts of Florida; in Chicago; and the San Francisco Bay Area.
These donors share in the mission of the American Heart Association and the commitment to its 2024 Impact Goal that every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life. The Association strives to advance overall health and well-being for everyone everywhere, through the support of innovative solutions, such as its Social Impact Funds. Understanding that health does not begin at the doctor’s office, these funds provide nimble and reactive opportunities to meet entrepreneurs in communities where they are and take a bottom-up approach to finding health forward solutions. The resources provided by the American Heart Association Social Impact Funds can help social entrepreneurs scale their businesses quickly to have a positive effect on the community.
The Social Impact Funds invite social entrepreneurs with solutions to health access issues such as healthy food availability, housing, recidivism, access to quality healthcare, transportation, and educational opportunities to apply for funding opportunities to support their important work. Applicants can be at any business stage and can be non-profit or for-profit social entrepreneurs. A governance committee comprised of American Heart Association volunteers and executives review all investment recommendations looking for three key things – demonstrated ability to drive change in under-resourced communities, an organic connection to the community itself and an ability to scale for maximum health impact.