Since it was established in 1980, the Aetna Foundation has awarded more than $445 million to promote wellness, health and access to high-quality health care. There are 3 ways in which Aetna is supporting the community: providing grants and awards from the Aetna Foundation; establishing partnerships within local communities and through employee volunteering and giving. The grants are focused on issues that improve health and the health care system, such as healthy eating and active living and health care equity.
Aetna’s Regional grants (up to $50,000) are provided to nonprofits with activities in the following areas:
- Community-based nutrition education and exercise programs for children and families; efforts to increase the availability or affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables;
- Programs that help families to select and prepare healthy foods on a limited budget;
- Community gardening and urban farming activities;
- Innovative approaches to making physical activity accessible, affordable and fun (e.g., digital solutions)
However, priority will be given to applications that focus on healthy eating and active living through a racial and ethnic health equity lens.
In order to apply for a Regional grant, the nonprofit organization must have its 501c3 status approved and serve in one of the targeted areas. The applications must be submitted online; indirect costs may not exceed 15% of the total amount requested; and grant requests cannot exceed 20% of an applicant’s total operating budget.
All recipients are required to report the program’s impact on the community.
Aetna employees are also contributing to the company’s corporate responsibility success. In 2013 Aetna employees gave more than 400,000 hours of their time to help their local communities. They volunteered in delivering meals to homebound residents; donating blood to the American Red Cross; Collecting food and clothing to help the homeless, etc.
More information about deadlines for applying and specifics is available at: http://www.aetna-foundation.org/foundation/aetna-foundation-programs/index.html