Welcome to the Georgia Health Foundation

General Information

The Georgia Health Foundation was created in 1985 through the conversion of the Georgia Medical Plan, Georgia’s first nonprofit health maintenance organization, to an independent, private foundation.

Grantmaking Priorities

The Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of Georgians and awards grants within a broad range of health-related areas to organizations operating exclusively for charitable, scientific, and/or educational purposes.  Applicants are encouraged to address health issues of local importance and/or opportunities to address regional or national health issues.  Collaboration, cooperation, and joint ventures among organizations are encouraged.  While the Foundation should not be considered a source of continuing support, it seeks to encourage programs that have a high potential of sustaining impact.  With rare exceptions, the Foundation does not support capital campaigns.  Grants are awarded only to organizations within the State of Georgia and which are eligible as determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

The seven-member board of directors meets regularly throughout the year and considers proposals received and recommendations offered by the Proposal Evaluation Committee.  Grants are most often awarded in September and are paid to the recipients in December at the Foundation’s Annual Awards Luncheon.  Occasionally the Board will consider awarding grants earlier in the year, but only when the timing and urgency of the project require early review and funding.  The Awards Luncheon provides a time for the year’s grant recipients to come together to exchange ideas, learn from one another and identify opportunities to collaborate.