Irvine Health Foundation
“We started by supporting projects and programs in the greater Irvine community. Because of the new community hospital coming to the City, we had a good environment and a population that was already aware of the need for health and health related programs. We found many good opportunities and organizations to support.”
The Irvine Health Foundation (“IHF”) was incorporated in 1985 with a $15 million endowment. By leveraging ingenuity, collaboration, innovation, and nontraditional partnerships, we spent over $70 million in grants and other funding for health and wellness-related activities across the county.
Through our grantmaking and investing programs, IHF continuously demonstrated commitment, leadership, innovation, and excellence. We’ve contributed to the creation of numerous organizations that are critical to our community’s health, today and in the future. These organizations are positioned to continue the work we began, furthering the mission of better health for all of Orange County.
As IHF closes its doors, we’d like to reflect on the organization’s impact over almost four decades. We celebrate and acknowledge the people and organizations working to improve the health of our community. The information in this document is a testament to what people and organizations in our community have done to help improve the health and well-being of all Orange County residents. It is with immense humility and gratitude that we herein highlight some of the significant activities that helped to make IHF’s vision a reality.
IHF’s grantmaking strategy involved several key elements:
- Multiplier Effect (leverage)
- Collaboration
- Community Orientation
- Long Term Approach
- First Mover (at times)
- Unafraid
- Low Ego, High Touch
“We're very thoughtful about how we could invest in what would make a meaningful difference in the communities. That's what I was always impressed with: the kinds of people we had on the board who could take that kind of view and provide that kind of leadership. That also reflects on E’sd and the staff's leadership as well.”
Thank You
It is important that we take a moment to pause and share our gratitude for the last 40 years serving Orange County. To the organizations and individuals who have come alongside us to help make IHF’s mission a reality, we are forever grateful. The impact we have made together for the Orange County community is immeasurable, and its ripple effects will continue to have a positive effect on our residents for many years to come.
We’re thankful for the organizations across Orange County who have stepped up to the plate, leveraging the financial support they’ve received to make our community healthier. Whether providing healthcare services to marginalized communities or upgrading their facilities with much-needed technology, they have stewarded their resources and knowledge well, paving the way toward a healthier future for our residents. IHF could not have accomplished so much without these vital partnerships, nor without the dedicated organizations who were willing to grow and change for a better tomorrow.
It has been an honor and a privilege to support organizations across Orange County who all worked toward the goal oof making our community healthier. We thank you for your steadfast commitment, partnership, encouragement, and support.
While we’ve experienced many positive changes in nearly four decades, there is still more work to be done. We trust our established partners and expect new entrants into the field of community betterment to continue carrying out the work we began in 1985. It’s true that we could not have done this without you; now, we pass the torch.
“We changed things for the better. We did it because of the nature of our board, and our staff, and our interactions with one another, and the way we did our work in the community, which couldn't have been done if our board didn't want us to do it that way. There's never a bad time to do good. If you don't try, then it won't happen. If you're open, you're always trying to learn, you're always trying to think, you're always trying to figure out where the puck is going next, you can find good people to hold hands with, and if you're diligent in what you do, I think you could change the world. We did.”
