The Social Impact Funds What We Do
The Social Impact Funds focus on social drivers of health to enable more people to have a healthy, safe, economically secure life no matter their life experiences or where they live. We invest in the health of people and communities across the country by channeling investments, loans and grants to small- and medium-sized businesses that translate evidence-based interventions into on-the-ground impact.
At the same time, we’re creating a more equitable system of startup financing, spurring the growth of traditionally overlooked and underfunded organizations, and expanding resources in under resourced communities.
Bernard J. Tyson (1959-2019)
Bernard J. Tyson was a visionary leader who cared passionately about the health and well-being of all. His quest for affordable, equitable health care and social justice improved and extended lives throughout the U.S. and around the world. Bernard considered it a privilege to make a difference. He inspired us with his wisdom as a member of both the American Heart Association national board and CEO Roundtable and as a trusted advisor.
The American Heart Association is honored to continue his legacy by opening paths to ensure equitable health and well-being for all through the Social Impact Funds.
Opening Paths to Health and Equity
Health Care Access & Quality
Overcoming barriers to high-quality, affordable, accessible health care that is age, gender and culturally appropriate.Health Care Access & Quality
Overcoming barriers to high-quality, affordable and accessible health care is critical to living a healthy, vibrant life. Our focus on health and health care covers a wide variety of services and tech-enables solutions that address:
- Age, gender and culturally appropriate care
- Mental health
- Substance use recovery
- Maternal health
- Primary care
- Remote care
- Transportation
Food Security
Increasing access to healthy, affordable food via sustainable farming, mobile markets, food hubs, food as medicine and more.Food Security
Increasing access to healthy, affordable and environmentally sustainable food encompasses the entire food ecosystem — from agriculture and distribution to meal delivery and reducing food waste through donation and redistribution — through:
- Healthy food access
- Mobile markets
- Food hubs
- Sustainable farming
- Food as medicine
- Urban farming
- Institutional meal providers
Economic Empowerment
Promoting economic health through job creation, skill upleveling, banking access, financial literacy, violence prevention, housing support and more.Economic Empowerment
Promoting economic health by giving people wide-ranging opportunities to increase income, skills and financial stability so that they have the resources that give them a better chance of achieving positive health outcomes. This includes:
- Vocational training
- School to career pathways
- Access to banking
- Skill upleveling
- Job creation
- Financial literacy
- Violence prevention
- Housing support
- Support for people impacted by the justice system
Community-Led Transformation
The organizations supported by the Social Impact Funds are turning ideas into impact to eliminate disparities and improve health.
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Weld is a nonprofit organization breaking down the barriers to housing and employment within the Seattle region by providing transitional housing to people reentering society from incarceration, overcoming homelessness and/or active substance addiction.
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Growing Together is a nonprofit working for the health and sustainability of school communities through schoolyard greening, teaching gardens and increasing access to fresh food. Through their produce distribution service, Farms to Communities, they are addressing food insecurity in low-income, low-food-access school communities and improving market accessibility for small local farmers.
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Clymb equips youth with coping strategies that reduce the impact of mental health challenges and toxic stress via a digital platform that leverages gaming and video content.
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Firebrand is a mission-based bakery that hires returning citizens and formerly homeless individuals into high-quality jobs to enable them to become active and vibrant members of the community. Workers receive a living wage, extensive job training and financial literacy support with the goal of disrupting the cycle of poverty and recidivism.
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Saba Grocers Initiative is a nonprofit building a more equitable food system through activating small, immigrant-owned corner stores as healthy food access points. Through a shared mission of transforming inventory towards healthy groceries, they are shifting systemic conditions that perpetuate neighborhood food insecurity.
The Loneliness Epidemic
The Social Impact Funds have launched a national initiative to address isolation and loneliness in older adults and the stress borne by caregivers. Feeling disconnected and lonely often leads to higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and self-harm. The negative effects on mental health result in higher risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes and other chronic conditions. The need for social connection and support is particularly high among older adults living in under-resourced communities.
Through this initiative, we’re creating the opportunity for likeminded funders and changemakers with bold ideas to come together to expand social supports and address care gaps for better health outcomes and equity.
