Grantee resources

What we do:

• We support individuals and communities facing challenges affecting their health and quality of life, with a focus on underserved and diverse populations of seniors, school-age children and Veterans. 
• We foster community-centered collaborations and data-driven investments to advance health equity and enable people to live connected, healthy lives. 
• We take a listening approach to understand the needs and improve outcomes for individuals and communities by hearing and learning from people and organizations on the ground. 

How we do it:

We work to advance health equity through programmatic grantmaking, solution-based advocacy and research designed to:

• Create healthy emotional connections as a vital part of holistic care.
• Shape a healthier approach to nutrition that supports lifelong health and well-being.
• Support long-term disaster recovery efforts that build stronger, more resilient communities.
• Deploy our knowledge and resources as stewards of good health in communities across the country.

Creating healthy emotional connections

Healthy emotional connections and access to mental health services are vital to improving the health and well-being of underserved and diverse populations who have higher rates of poor mental health and suicide. 

Shaping a healthier approach to nutrition

Food insecurity affects every community across the nation but disproportionately impacts low-income individuals and people of color. ​We promote the health and well-being of diverse populations experiencing food-insecurity through community-based collaborations that advance health equity by ensuring consistent and reliable access to healthy foods and improving nutritional literacy. 

We take a listening approach

We take a listening approach to understand the needs and improve outcomes for individuals and communities by hearing and learning from people and organizations on the ground.

We focus our grants around four commitments.

Connected Healthy Lives Grant

We are looking to create more equitable health outcomes by working to eliminate the social and structural barriers to health. We accept proposals through our grant management system, which requires applicants to first establish a profile and complete an eligibility check.

Health Equity Innovation Fund

This fund provides seed funding for organizations working to eliminate barriers in health and health care. This opportunity is by invite only.

Research Grants

The Humana Foundation’s research strategy is designed to generate knowledge that translates into practical solutions for removing barriers that prevent people from living healthy, connected lives. This opportunity is by invite only.

Disaster Philanthropy

The Humana Foundation allocates funding each year to provide emergency relief to communities in crisis with the goal of supporting equitable, long-term health and recovery.

For more information, visit our grants page here.

Health Equity

• The elimination of unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare.

Health Disparity

• Initiatives addressing health disparities refer to differences in risk, incidence, morbidity, disability, and mortality in various conditions between different groups. Health disparities do not consider whether the differences in outcomes between groups is caused by an avoidable, unjust or systemic occurrence.

Minority Health

• Minority health initiatives address preventable health indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality that are disproportionately impacting ethnic minority groups compared with non-Hispanic white people. 

Outcome

• An observed, measurable change in the population served by the activity or service (Example: people receiving meals report no longer feeling hungry).

Systemic Intervention

• Intentional and deliberate action applied to a set of interconnected processes, beliefs, and variables that is designed to change the system and its policies.

Innovation

• A new idea, method, or device or a significant change made to an existing product, idea, or field.

System

• A set of individual but interconnected components which impact an individual or community’s health.

Impact

• Having a strong and sustained effect on something or someone (population, legislation, health outcome, etc.). Impact can be positive or negative, qualitative and/or quantitative.

At the center of everything we communicate, we believe in using language that empowers people and supports them in achieving their best health. In every word and story, we apply a strength-based messaging approach that shifts the focus away from the barriers our populations face, to the innovative grants, solutions, advocacy and research that advances their success. In addition: 

The Humana Foundation and its partners should use language and build stories that make seniors, veterans and youth feel proud to be supported and connected to our work.

The Humana Foundation and its partners should include facts to describe the challenges facing seniors, youth and veterans. Especially in the context of the systemic inequalities they face.  

Avoid using:

• At-risk people or communities
• In need, the needy
• Food desert

Examples of our messaging in action:

• Seniors living in underserved communities
• Veterans living with a physical/mental disability
• Youth experiencing food insecurity
• Seniors in neighborhoods with access to fewer opportunities
• Youth in communities experiencing disadvantages

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare.

The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being.

For more information, visit humanafoundation.org, and for information on our impact, visit the Humana Inc. annual Impact Report.

Our imagery reflects the Humana Foundation’s missions and values:

• Approachable: Captures the inviting and caring nature of people and community
• Authentic: Captures the real and imperfect aspect of life’s moments
• Optimistic: Captures the warm personality of our partners and people we serve

Avoid using:

• Staging people and situations
• Fake laughing/smiling for the camera
• Harsh, artificial lighting
• Focused on place over people
• Negative health outcomes
• AI generated images

Posting to Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for garnering interest and spreading positive sentiment about our work. When posting using one of our templates, keep statements on the graphics short and use post copy for more detailed information and call to action.

Interacting with the Foundation 

If your organization tags the Humana Foundation account in a post, please let us know beforehand so we can review and share to our account as well. See our Social Media Templates for approved layout options. 

Social Media Hashtags:

• #HumanaFoundation
• #Philanthropy
• #HUMemployee
  (for Humana associates mentioning
  Humana in posts)

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/the-humana-foundation
• X: x.com/humanafdn

The Humana Foundation, philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., is intentional about preserving its brand, along with the reputation of its partners. Our approach is rooted in accuracy and the formal approval of communications that mention or highlight the Humana Foundation.  

Any communication mentioning the Humana Foundation requires approval. Additionally, communications including the Humana logo need approval as well.   

The Humana Foundation needs at least 7-10 days to approve documents. All documents are submitted to an approval process that begins end-of-day every Thursday. Those submissions are fully approved and ready to post or distribute the following Monday. 

Please contact Marvin Hill at mhill1@humana.com or Chris Robinson at crobinson95@humana.com as soon as you’re prepared to move forward with a document featuring our name or logo.