Advocate Bethany Community Health Fund

Advocate Bethany Community Health Fund

Funder: Advocate Charitable Foundation

Status: SUSPENDED FOR NEW APPLICANTS. The fund is currently undergoing strategic planning. As of 2019, the LOI process for new applicants is suspended. Only current grantees (those who received awards in 2018 for implementation in 2019) may apply for continued funding. No new applicants are eligible.

Background: Established in 2006 as part of Advocate Health Care's commitment to support community organizations. Originally provided approximately $1 million per year for 14 years (2007-2020). As Advocate Bethany Hospital transitioned to a specialty hospital, the fund continued grant awards through 2020.

Geographic Scope: Four targeted communities on Chicago's West Side:

Austin

Garfield Park

Humboldt Park (including East Humboldt Park, extended to Western Avenue)

North Lawndale

Grants awarded only to organizations and activities located within these defined community boundaries.

Mission: Address unique health needs of the Advocate Bethany Hospital community by funding programs that promote health and wellness and their determinants through nonprofit organizations that share core values of dignity, community investment, family and spirituality.

Focus Areas & Priority Funding Areas:

Diabetes: Age-adjusted death rate 73.3% higher than Chicago rate

School Dropout Prevention: Dropout rate at age 16 is 20.2-36.5% higher than Chicago rate

Violence Prevention: Age-adjusted death rate from assault/homicide 101% higher than Chicago rate

Workforce Development: Unemployment rate 36-155% higher than Chicago rate

Core Values Required:

Individual and community-wide dignity

Investing in and promoting community institutions

Family (traditional and non-traditional units)

Faith and spirituality

Community asset-building and leveraging community resources

Eligibility:

Nonprofit organizations

Must demonstrate commitment to using community assets to promote positive community development

Must address one or more of the four priority areas

Must incorporate one or more core values

Must identify and incorporate community assets into programming

Activities must be located within Bethany Fund Communities boundaries

Contact:

Ina N. Owens, LCSW, Vice President, Office of Grants and Program Development

- Email: ina.owens@aah.org
- Phone: 630-929-6928

Tameeka Christian, Manager, Advocate Bethany Community Health Fund

- Email: tameeka.christian@aah.org
- Phone: 630-929-6918

Advocate Charitable Foundation office: 630-929-6900

Address: RML Chicago, 3435 W. Van Buren, Chicago, IL 60624

Recent Awards (2018): Over $9 million awarded total to local organizations. 2018 grantees included organizations supporting dropout prevention, violence prevention, diabetes education, and workforce development across all four communities.