STRATEGIC PLANNING

A New Direction in Aging and Health

2012-present The global economic downturn of 2008 caused the Hartford Foundation, like most philanthropies, to face significant declines in its endowment. While several key programs were renewed, other existing grant projects were scaled back and very few new projects were funded. The Trustees and staff utilized this period of reduced grantmaking to engage in nearly two years of strategic planning, which concluded at the end of 2012.

After 30 years of grantmaking in aging and health, the Trustees renewed their commitment to the Foundation’s mission of improving the health of older adults. Holding steadfast to this commitment, Trustees and staff identified new strategies to best utilize grantmaking resources, and going forward, will focus less on building academic capacity and more intensely on directly changing health care delivery and practice.

In preparation for this evolution in grantmaking, several transition grants were awarded to the academically focused initiatives of the Foundation. With three to five years of funding for programs like the Centers of Excellence in medicine and nursing, the Geriatric Social Work Initiative, and the faculty development awards, the effort to transform the education and training of health professionals will continue. At the same time, new partnerships and structures are being explored to sustain many of these programs into the future.