Highmark Foundation awards $454,400 in grant funding to 81 schools benefitting students throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia
July 26, 2022 | PITTSBURGH, Pa.
PITTSBURGH (July 26, 2022) — Officials from the Highmark Foundation today announced the recipients of its 2022-2023 Highmark Foundation School Grants and Awards Program. The organization received more than 180 applications from across Pennsylvania and West Virginia, totaling more than $770,000 in requested funds. Public, private, parochial, charter, and vocational high schools throughout the two states were eligible to apply.
The goal of the grants program is to create healthier school environments that experience positive, sustainable and lasting change through comprehensive strategies. "Schools are where health, safety, education, and the overall well-being of students take place. Our student-focused grants program equips schools with resources to create healthier and safer school environments," said Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook.
With such a competitive program, the applications are independently reviewed by the Foundation's technical partners Center for Safe Schools, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Women for a Healthy Environment.
This is the 10th year for the Highmark Foundation's School Grant and Awards Program, and it has awarded more than $3.8 million to date to help bring about healthy changes in schools in Highmark Foundation's service region. The Foundation's program also offers annual awards for Advancing Excellence in School Nursing Awards and Supportive Services Health grants.
The grant breakdown across the Foundation's service area is below. The complete list of schools, programs and award amounts can be found at www.highmarkfoundation.org.
| Region | Number of Schools | Total Amount Awarded |
|---|---|---|
Central Pennsylvania/Northeast Pennsylvania |
17 |
$98,000 |
West Virginia |
13 |
$56,100 |
Western Pennsylvania |
51 |
$300,300 |
About the Highmark Foundation
The Highmark Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) private, charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing, and quality of life for individuals who reside in the communities served by Highmark, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. We fulfill our missing by awarding high-impact grants to charitable organizations that implement evidence-based programs aimed at improving community health. Central to the Foundation's mission is identifying and continuously reevaluating our region's prevailing health care needs. By doing so, the Foundation remains at the forefront of those needs, well-equipped to pinpoint the issues that more urgently need support.
In 2021, two new restricted funds were established at the Highmark Foundation — the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health and the United Concordia Dental Charitable Fund. These funds support the ongoing work of the Highmark Foundation across its footprint and beyond.
For more information, visit www.highmarkfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @HighmarkFdn.
Contact:
Bethany RossHighmark Health
304-347-7698
bethany.ross@highmarkhealth.org