Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona
Health First Foundation–an individual recipient is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It advances community health and well-being through leadership, partnerships, and innovation, supporting health initiatives across northern Arizona.
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona at a glance
In short: Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona gave $813K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $51K), mostly in Arizona. 69% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $812,625
- +28.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $50,789
- -35.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $47,500
- Total assets
- $19,697,874
- +5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (9 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona
- How to Apply
-
The 2026 competitive cycle required an LOI. The LOI phase is closed.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 LOI deadline was February 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; this deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 LOI deadline was February 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; this deadline has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1120 W University Street Ste 200, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: (928) 223-9239
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona
Who Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Flagstaff Medical Center ($120K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $764K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 55 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies its service region as northern Arizona. For the 2026 cycle, eligible programs had to serve populations in Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, or Yavapai County. All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 13 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $60K; repeat grants $68K. How we count
Medians: $48K first-time, $71K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $531K (2022) to $22.4M (2023). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $813K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Arizona University Foundat Flagstaff, AZ | Grant for Support of | $100,000 |
| Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School Di Fredonia, AZ | Grant to Support DIR | $98,000 |
| Flagstaff Shelter Services Flagstaff, AZ | The Grant to Support | $95,000 |
| Polara Health Prescott Valley, AZ | Grant to Support at- | $95,000 |
| The Guidance Center Flagstaff, AZ | Grant to Support NEU | $76,000 |
| United Way of Northern Arizona Flagstaff, AZ | Grant to Support a S | $47,500 |
| Boys and Girld Club of Flagstaff Flagstaff, AZ | Grant to Support Aft | $47,500 |
| Arizona Food Bank Network Phoenix, AZ | Grant to Support Pre | $47,500 |
| Flagstaff Medical Center Flagstaff, AZ | Otten Native America | $47,500 |
| Flagstaff Medical Center Flagstaff, AZ | Salary Costs for NAV | $47,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reported 16 grants; the 2024 and 2023 filings reported 8 and 6 grants, respectively. The foundation’s filing describes an endowment consisting of one donor-established fund that provides annual funding for specific activities. It also describes grant oversight that includes mid-term and annual grantee reporting and on-site inspections.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,697,874 | $1,923,367 | $1,419,994 | $812,625 | 16 | $1,864,922 |
| 2024 | $18,717,975 | $262,313 | $1,555,083 | $631,431 | 8 | $247,064 |
| 2023 | $20,016,463 | $-1,703,124 | $25,523,422 | $22,358,732 | 6 | $-1,786,195 |
| 2022 | $43,321,734 | $17,582,632 | $5,403,771 | $530,658 | 9 | $17,416,960 |
| 2021 | $53,020,022 | $5,292,258 | $5,013,432 | $2,080,201 | 16 | $2,068,631 |
| 2020 | $42,473,817 | $4,696,577 | $8,775,008 | $5,726,802 | 32 | $1,211,974 |
| 2019 | $46,889,379 | $4,395,897 | $7,036,106 | $4,266,505 | 28 | $1,282,949 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to advance community health and well-being through leadership, partnerships, and innovation. Its website says its grantmaking emphasizes health promotion, sustainable solutions, healthy lifestyles, and collaboration. The organization also says it uses community health needs assessments to identify priorities and quantitative measures to assess program impact.
Its 2026 Community Health Grant cycle focused on the Healthy Minds Across Generations Initiative, supporting Native American-led and Native-serving organizations working on mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being for Native children and elders. The 2025 cycle focused on adolescent health needs, including access to health care, behavioral and mental health, chronic conditions, healthy behaviors, and factors such as housing, education, and community resources.
The foundation’s 2025 grantees included organizations with varied missions. Northern Arizona University Foundation says it advances the university through relationships, investment, and stewardship. The Guidance Center describes its mission as improving community behavioral health, while Flagstaff Shelter Services says it provides shelter and pathways to dignity for homeless individuals. Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff describes programs for school-age children, including health and life skills; Northland Family Help Center says it provides shelter, education, advocacy, and counseling to promote healthy relationships. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $812,625. Grant amounts ranged from $9,535 to $100,000, with a median of $47,500. Among the largest reported awards were $100,000 to Northern Arizona University Foundation; $98,000 to Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District; $95,000 each to Flagstaff Shelter Services and Polara Health; and $76,000 to The Guidance Center.
The foundation’s website describes an annual competitive grant cycle that begins with a letter of intent (LOI). For the 2026 cycle, eligible applicants included Arizona 501(c)(3) organizations, government agencies, schools, universities, municipalities, and tribal entities serving one or more of the five northern Arizona counties. Organizations without 501(c)(3) status were required to apply through a fiscal agent; religious organizations could apply for non-sectarian initiatives. Applicants also had to be in good standing with the IRS and maintain an active non-discrimination policy. The foundation said it would not fund programs it had previously funded, accepted one LOI per qualified organization, and sought collaborative projects. It preferred requests of $50,000 or more, though it could consider innovative projects requesting less. The website also describes advised grants recommended by donors; these are separate from the annual competitive cycle and have no application process.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sandra Kowalski, Ana Castillo, Mark Urick, Chris Bavasi, Dr. Beth Dupree, William Hicks III, Esq., Oliver Harper, MD, Dr. Richard Smith, Richard Kruse, CPA, and James Ousley as officers or directors.
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's 2025 filing lists 11 officers; 3 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris Bavasi
Director
Chair & Director → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Deirdre Meldrum PhD
Director
V.chair Chair → Board Chair & Director, 2024
Board Chair & Director → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Oliver Harper MD
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$415 (2020) → $0 (2025)
Richard A. Smith EdD
Director
President, CEO & Director → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$348K (2019) → $0 (2025)
William Hicks III Esq.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2020) → $0 (2025)
James Ousley
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beth Dupree
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Kruse CPA
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, Treasurer & Director, 2022
Vice Chair, Treasurer & Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$739 (2020) → $0 (2025)
Sandra Kowalski
Executive Di
Ops Manager, President, CEO & Director → President, CEO & Director, 2023
President, CEO & Director → Executive Di, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$122K (2021) → $179K (2025)
Ana Castillo
Operations D
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$159K (2025)
Mark Urick
Executive Di
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$21K (2025)
Former officers (10)
- Former: Alice Gagnaire (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Ana Fano - Operations Mgr (2023–2024) — Grants, Awards & Spec. Initiatives
- Former: Christina Brown Cpa - Mgr (2023–2024) — Of Financial Operations
- Former: Chris Bavasi - Chair (2023) — Director
- Former: Karla Jacobsen Cpa - Mgr Of (2023) — Financial Operations
- Former: Chuck Marr (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Karla Jacobsen CPA (2019–2022) — Manager of Financial Operations
- Former: Wayne Fox CPA (2019–2022) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: William Riley PhD (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Matthew Brasmer (2020–2022) — Vice President Development
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $179K, to Sandra Kowalski (Executive Di). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona
How much does Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona give each year?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona gave $813K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $631K across 8 grants.
What is Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's typical grant size?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's median grant in 2025 was $47,500, and its average grant was $50,789, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona that year got $60K on average.
Where does Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona give grants?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona gives mostly in Arizona: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Flagstaff, AZ (12 grants).
Does Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's largest grantees?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's largest 2025 grantees include Flagstaff Medical Center ($120,125 across 4 grants), Northern Arizona University Foundat ($100,000) and Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School Di ($98,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona reported $19.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona fund?
The foundation’s mission is to advance community health and well-being through leadership, partnerships, and innovation. Its website says its grantmaking emphasizes health promotion, sustainable solutions, healthy lifestyles, and collaboration. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona?
The 2026 competitive cycle required an LOI. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's EIN?
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3137336. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/health-first-foundation-northern-arizona-morg_b22d10007dee456d9c2a8fe26e06e0e4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_813137336_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/health-first-foundation-northern-arizona-morg_b22d10007dee456d9c2a8fe26e06e0e4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Health First Foundation-Northern Arizona down — hundreds of funders to go?