The Public Health Institute (PHI) is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1964 and headquartered in Oakland, California. The organization advances wellbeing and health equity with communities around the world through research, policy advocacy, capacity building, and direct programming.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$133.3M
+3.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$58.8M
+7.0% YoY
Grant Count
445
+16.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$132K
-8.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Public Health Institute advances wellbeing and health equity with communities around the world.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs & Mental Health
- Capacity Building & Leadership
- Chronic Disease Prevention
- Communicable Disease Prevention
- Data, Technology & Innovation
- Disability Rights
- Environmental Health
Grantmaking
PHI functions as both a grantmaker and grant recipient. Based on their most recent IRS Form 990 filing, the organization distributed $59,768,391 in total giving. Typical grant awards range from $5,008 to $9,194,538.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
PHI's grantmaking and programmatic work primarily targets California, Texas, and New York, though the organization describes its work as extending to communities around the world.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023 (most recent available data):
- Total Assets: $129–$133 million
- Total Liabilities: $62 million
- Annual Revenue: $298 million
- Annual Expenses: $283 million
- Total Giving: $59,768,391
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $133,311,919 | $129,042,887 | $147,605,072 |
| Revenue | $258,263,272 | $297,776,188 | $254,978,258 |
| Expenses | $256,221,669 | $283,476,651 | $252,798,870 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $789,878 | $1,559,361 | $-76,666 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Commonspirit Health Research Institute ($1,575,000), Kaiser Foundation Hospitals ($939,000), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ($781,597).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COMMONSPIRIT HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE STOCKTON, CA | Technical Assistance | $1,575,000 |
| KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITALS OAKLAND, CA | Technical Assistance | $939,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | Research | $781,597 |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITIES PUBLIC HEALTH LOS ANGELES, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| AMAAD INSTITUTE LOS ANGELES, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| CORE COMMUNITY ORGANIZED RELIEF EFFORT LOS ANGELES, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| DIVINE TRUTH UNITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH INC ONTARIO, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC STRATEGIES SAN DIEGO, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| LAUSD STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES SUPPORT LOS ANGELES, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
| SACRAMENTO LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER SACRAMENTO, CA | Capacity Building | $778,400 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President and CEO: Melissa Stafford Jones
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaeze Enekwechi | Chair | 1 | — |
| Dr Mary A Pittman | President & CEO (Through January 2024) | 40 | $245,640 |
| Melissa Stafford-Jones | President & CEO (As of January 2024) | 40 | $512,277 |
| Radha Muthiah | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Santiago Muoz | Secretary/Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Afia Asamoah | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Andrew Pines | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Anthony Barrueta | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Dara Johnson Treseder | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Dr Michael Rodriguez | Special Advisor III/Board Member | 40 | $205,703 |
| Paul Halverson | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Paul Kuehnert | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Sarah Dash | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Sergio Gaxiola | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Dr Derrick Browning | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $296,855 |
| B Melange Matthews | Exec VP & Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $395,892 |
| Matthew Marsom | Chief of Programs, Policy & Govt Relations (Through October 2024) | 40 | $366,400 |
| Nicole Torrado | Interim Co-General Counsel (Through November 2024) | 40 | $284,015 |
| Susan Watson | Senior VP of Programs and Community Engagement | 40 | $238,078 |
| Valerie McCann Woodson | Chief Human Resources Officer | 40 | $280,808 |
| Dr David Hausner | Program Director IV | 40 | $230,464 |
| Dr Denise Dunning | Program Director IV | 40 | $248,502 |
| Lalit Saluja | Senior Enterprise Applications | 40 | $252,964 |
| Laura LaCorte | Senior VP of Compliance & Ethics and Privacy Officer (Through December 2024) | 40 | $331,795 |
| Rebecca Silva | VP of Program Award Management | 40 | $247,162 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
PHI's Population Health Innovation Lab joined a $22 million five-year initiative with the Merck Foundation to improve cardiovascular care.
Press Release: Kresge Foundation awards grant to Public Health ...The organization developed the HPI Tool, which was used in a community participatory budget process that allocated $2.5 million to Marin County nonprofits.
Marin Nonprofits Allotted $2.5M Through Community Participatory Budget ProcessPHI has published recent work including "Supporting Communities and Local Public Health Departments During COVID-19 and Beyond: A Roadmap for Equitable and Transformative Change" and "The State of Local Cannabis Policy in California Cities and Counties: 2025 Scorecards."
Press Release: Kresge Foundation awards grant to Public Health ...The organization maintains active thought leadership through multiple podcasts including "Flipping the Table" and "Pediatric Environmental Health Radio," and has developed tools such as the Telehealth Policy Finder.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Public Health Institute fund?
**Mission:** The Public Health Institute advances wellbeing and health equity with communities around the world. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs & Mental Health • Capacity Building & Leadership • Chronic Disease Prevention • Communicable Disease Prevention • Data, Technology & Innovation • Disability Rights • Environmental Health
How do I apply for a grant from Public Health Institute?
PHI functions as both a grantmaker and grant recipient. Based on their most recent IRS Form 990 filing, the organization distributed $59,768,391 in total giving. Typical grant awards range from $5,008 to $9,194,538. The organization's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, with primary geographic concentration in California, Texas, and New York.
Where does Public Health Institute make grants?
PHI's grantmaking and programmatic work primarily targets California, Texas, and New York, though the organization describes its work as extending to communities around the world.
What size grants does Public Health Institute award?
In 2024, Public Health Institute awarded 445 grants totaling $58.8M — an average of about $132K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Public Health Institute's EIN?
Public Health Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1646278. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Public Health Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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