Our Approach

Building Trusted Relationships

We invest in meaningful initiatives that help the people of Lakewood and surrounding communities lead healthier lives. To accomplish this, we offer grant opportunities to nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services directly aligned with our mission and strategic area of focus.

As a Foundation built on a legacy of caring, we are committed to an approach that includes continuous learning, balanced power, and transparency placing nonprofit organizations at the core of the relationship. We start by exploring unmet needs and opportunities, convening expert sources – including our directors – for broader understanding, and amplifying ideas through greater collaboration with community partners. Through a health equity lens, and with trust-based practices engrained in our work, our learning journey continually evolves by having this firsthand knowledge about the people served and the health issues they face. This approach influences how we steward the Foundation’s resources by investing in nonprofit organizations that focus on improving equitable access to behavioral and physical health care.

We are especially interested in organizations that work with others towards a common purpose and grant requests that build on proven strategies, replicate successful existing models, or are the start or next phase of a promising model or practice. Interconnected paths will accelerate philanthropic progress and lasting impact.