Humana Foundation relaunches philanthropic program, increasing grant amount for nonprofits in Tampa Bay, Chicago and San Antonio

Humana green logoHumana Inc. and the Humana Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, announced a relaunch of their signature Humana Communities Benefit program, which will now award multi-year grants totaling $350,000 to an eligible nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in each of three areas: Tampa Bay, Chicago and San Antonio. Organizations focused on promoting healthy behaviors and healthy relationships will be considered.

Also new to this year’s charitable giving program is the launch of an online community vote as part of the judging process, which will take place at the finalist stage.

The new structure of the Humana Communities Benefit program will award nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations a three-year infusion of funds, enabling the winning nonprofits to receive $200,000 the first year; $100,000 the second year; and $50,000 in the final year. Winners will use the Humana Foundation grant to create new programs or enhance ongoing activities that have a positive, transformational impact on the organization and the community.

“This new approach with Humana Communities Benefit is a natural evolution for the program as Humana and the Humana Foundation work to improve the health of the communities we serve nationwide,” said Humana President and CEO Bruce Broussard, who announced the new program today at a news conference in St. Petersburg, Fla. “We have added several new features to the program, including the online vote, which provides an opportunity for each community to have a stake in which organization in each region is awarded our $350,000 grant.”

The three areas for the charitable giving program’s new approach this spring are Tampa Bay, Chicago and San Antonio.

“As we ushered in the renewal of Humana Communities Benefit, it was important for us to select communities where Humana has deep roots,” said Virginia Kelly Judd, Executive Director of the Humana Foundation. “We are excited to host this new phase of our charitable grant program in Tampa Bay, where Humana has its largest associate population (more than 3,500 Humana associates) outside of our corporate hometown, Louisville, Ky.; Chicago, where we started Humana Communities Benefit in 2003; and San Antonio, a new location for the program but a city where Humana has had a presence for more than three decades.”

The Humana Foundation charitable program has awarded more than $8 million to nonprofits in 11 communities nationwide since launching in Chicago in 2003. Previously, Humana Communities Benefit annually awarded one-time, $100,000 charitable grants to nonprofits.

“Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful is so excited to break ground on the Humana Educational Pavilion at the Florida Learning Garden in Tampa thanks to the 2013 Humana Communities Benefit grant,” said Debbie Evenson, Executive Director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. “The Pavilion will provide an opportunity for children to learn about growing techniques and sustainable practices in a hands-on, educational environment that encourages healthy eating and healthy behaviors.”

Call for Entries
Organizations in Tampa Bay, Chicago and San Antonio focused on promoting healthy behaviors and healthy relationships will be considered. Eligible nonprofit organizations in the following counties may submit their applications on humana.com/hcb, starting today until June 30:

  • Humana Communities Benefit in Tampa Bay – Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties
  • Humana Communities Benefit in Chicago – Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Lake and McHenry counties
  • Humana Communities Benefit in San Antonio – Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina and Wilson counties

The timeline for the program is as follows:

  • Applications accepted: April 28 – June 30
  • Judging: August
  • Grant Recipients Named: September

New Program Features
The Humana Communities Benefit program will also launch a host of new features designed to educate nonprofits on the application process; connect former and prospective grant winners; and show communities locally and nationwide some of the work being done by nonprofit organizations. The new features include:

  • HCB Mentors. Prospective organizations can visit the mentor page (http://www.humana.com/hcbmentor) to connect with former Humana Communities Benefit grant winners regarding their experience with the process of applying for the grant.
  • E-Newsletter. The semi-annual digital newsletter will highlight news about the Humana Communities Benefit program, advice and tips from previous winners and success stories.
  • Online Community Vote.  The community will have an opportunity to weigh in on which organization in each community it feels is most deserving of the Humana Communities Benefit grant.  Voting will be based upon a video and short narrative submitted by three finalists in each city and will take place online.

About The Humana Foundation
The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation’s leading health care companies. Located in Louisville, Ky., the site of Humana’s corporate headquarters, the Foundation focuses on promoting healthy behaviors and healthy relationships. The Foundation’s key funding priorities are childhood health, intergenerational health, and active lifestyles. For more information, visit www.humanafoundation.org.

Humana and the Humana Foundation are dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Our goal is to ensure that every business decision we make reflects our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our members, our associates, the communities we serve and our planet.

About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. By leveraging the strengths of its core businesses, Humana believes it can better explore opportunities for existing and emerging adjacencies in health care that can further enhance wellness opportunities for the millions of people across the nation with whom the company has relationships.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s website at www.humana.com.