Well Together Grant Awards Challenge

The Well Together Grant Awards Challenge, spearheaded by the Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF), is designed to inject $300,000 in 2024 into local non-profit organizations that are currently serving or are poised to serve the communities of Eatonville, Maitland, and Winter Park. This initiative reflects WPHF's enduring mission to foster health and wellbeing through innovative programs and grants, a commitment demonstrated by over $131 million invested in grant funding over 30 years. The challenge is structured to award $50,000 to each of five non-profits, with an additional $50,000 up for grabs among these five organizations through an October competition, emphasizing both initial support and competitive excellence. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are the residents of Eatonville, Maitland, and Winter Park, with a specific focus on vulnerable populations within these communities. The impact goals are centered on addressing critical health needs, including Youth Mental Health, Diabetes/Pre-Diabetes, and Heart Health. By supporting organizations that provide creative, impactful, and innovative solutions in these areas, WPHF aims to create measurable improvements in community health outcomes and enhance the overall wellbeing of its constituents. The priorities and focuses of the Well Together Grant Awards Challenge are clearly defined. Eligible organizations must be 501c3 non-profits with a reviewed profile on the Central Florida Foundation website. Beyond organizational structure, the core focus is on programmatic innovation and impact in the specified health areas. The mandatory attendance at Storytelling Training Sessions also indicates a priority on effective communication and advocacy for the work being done, ensuring that the impact of the grants is not only realized but also effectively shared. In terms of expected outcomes and measurable results, WPHF anticipates that the funded projects will lead to tangible improvements in youth mental health, better management and prevention of diabetes, and enhanced heart health across the target communities. While specific metrics are not detailed in the provided information, the emphasis on "impactful, and innovative solutions" suggests a drive towards measurable positive change. The challenge itself, with organizations competing for additional funding, implies an expectation of high-performing projects that can demonstrate significant results. The Winter Park Health Foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change are deeply rooted in its 30-year legacy of innovation and investment in community health. Their theory of change appears to be based on the belief that by strategically funding and empowering local non-profits with creative and impactful solutions, they can effectively address evolving community health needs. The collaboration with the Victory Cup Initiative (VCI) further underscores a strategy of partnering with established, successful models to amplify their impact and drive sustainable change in the health and wellbeing landscape of the communities they serve.