Social Impact Funds
Social Impact Funds support social entrepreneurs with community-informed solutions that improve healthcare, food security and economic opportunity so people in under-resourced communities live healthier lives.
Funder: American Heart Association
Due Dates: Year-round (Applications)
Funding Amounts: Grants: $150,000–$500,000 | Venture investments: up to $500,000 initially | Term loans: up to $500,000 over 2–5 years
Summary: Supports community-informed, evidence-based solutions that improve healthcare access, food security and economic opportunity in under-resourced communities.
Key Information: Applicants for geographically specific opportunities must be local to the community they serve.
Description
The American Heart Association’s Social Impact Funds finance social entrepreneurs addressing the social drivers of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. The funds support for-profit and nonprofit organizations using deep community understanding and evidence-based interventions to help people live longer, healthier lives. Their three priorities are increasing healthcare access and quality, improving food security and nutrition, and driving economic vitality.
The program combines grants, venture investments and occasionally loans with strategic guidance, capacity building and impact measurement. It seeks organizations with demonstrated community impact, trusted local relationships and the potential to scale sustainably. The funds prioritize founders with lived experience of the communities they serve and the challenges they seek to solve, particularly where entrepreneurs face barriers to capital.
