The Peter Sowerby Foundation has made sustaining at-risk projects a key focus of an updated large-scale grants strategy, which has seen it launch a new fund.
The philanthropic body said the aims of its Impact in Healthcare Fund, which supersedes the Healthcare Breakthrough Fund set up in 2019, had been directed by challenges in public health and pressures on the NHS and other statutory organisations.
It said the new pot will support initiatives that meet two criteria: tackling clear and demonstrable need across a range of health conditions, and making a proven impact.
On the latter point, the foundation added that its money will target scenarios “where additional funds could either increase the scale or depth of impact, or sustain projects at risk”.
“We define ‘at risk’ as impactful projects for which funding is coming to an end and which might be discontinued without investment,” the foundation said in a statement announcing the fund.
“For example, these may be projects where statutory funding has been cut or is declining.”
The previous Health Breakthrough Fund had been designed to provide larger-scale grants to projects providing innovation and transformation in health and social care.
“The foundation will continue to prioritise projects which focus on [those objectives]; however, such projects must show a fit with both of the two [new key] criteria to be considered for funding,” its statement reads.
It added that the Impact in Healthcare fund will prioritise applications that fall within three main strands.
These cover projects based on outreach and delivery in the community, rather than formal healthcare settings; or with a digital or data focus; or centred on preventative health care to improve patient wellbeing.
The Peter Sowerby Foundation was set up in 2011 using an endowment made by the former north Yorkshire GP whose name it carries. Since then has awarded more than £10m to charities, community groups and healthcare providers.
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