Funding will support community-led social and economic solutions intended to improve health equity through American Heart Association’s Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 8, 2021 — The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, today announced $1 million
Bernard J. Tyson
in targeted funding through the Association’s Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund for entrepreneurs and nonprofits that are working to break down social and economic barriers to health in the Greater Washington Region.
Two rounds of funding will be invested in evidence-based, community-driven entrepreneurial solutions that address improving access to healthcare, food, employment, education and housing, as well as driving economic empowerment in the greater Washington, D.C. region (Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland).
Organizations may submit formal expressions of interest for funding through Friday, March 26, 2021, by visiting www.heart.org/en/bernard-j-tyson-fund. Funding decisions will be announced in May 2021. A virtual town hall event will be held on March 11, 2021, to gain community input and help identify where additional support is needed to make the most impact quickly.
Greater Washington Region Town Hall
Thursday, March 11, 2021
10:30 a.m. EST
Contributions from John Houston III (post humous), The Executive Leadership Council, Linda Gooden and Laird Lott and JPMorgan Chase funded the $1 million opportunity for local for-profit and nonprofit organizations.
“We are so grateful to these supporters of the American Heart Association and their commitment to breaking down barriers to health in the greater Washington region,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “Their contributions to the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund will support local organizations and social entrepreneurs as they grow their reach and impact within the community.”
Since launching in June 2020, the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund has supported 15 social entrepreneurs and nonprofits in New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Oakland, California. The fund honors the late Bernard J. Tyson, long-time American Heart Association volunteer and former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Tyson worked tirelessly to overcome structural and systemic barriers to support social justice and equitable health for all.
Learn more about the AHA’s Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund here.
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