Our Community Investment
Overview
Since 1996, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas has invested more than $445M million in grants within our 74-county service-area. Methodist Healthcare Ministries believes that everyone deserves a fair opportunity to make the choices that lead to good health. Traditionally, Methodist Healthcare Ministries has made it a priority to promote access to clinical care in underserved communities and will continue to do so. We also recognize root causes of poor health outcomes must be addressed if we are to achieve health equity and intervene effectively to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Our goal is to help create and sustain healthy communities by supporting organizations that address the community conditions in which we are born, grow, live, and work, otherwise known as the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). Methodist Healthcare Ministries is interested in learning how organizations are addressing SDoH in general, and have a special focus on several key intersecting issues: economic mobility, digital inclusion and broadband infrastructure, and food security.
2025 Grant Cycle
Over the past few years, Methodist Healthcare Ministries has been on a journey of continuous improvement, constantly striving to evaluate and improve our work, so we can care for our patients and clients as best we can. This commitment extends to our community partners and how the community investments department can improve its own operations and processes to better support the partners and communities we serve.
To accomplish this task, we are sustaining our current grantmaking commitments through the end of 2024 and will be launching a new grant process later this year. This 2025 Grant Cycle will include new processes based on our extensive listening to community feedback; and will build upon our history of supporting organizations improving the well-being of the underserved in our 74 county service area.
We look forward to sharing our updated strategy with the community later this year.
Grantmaking
$445M in grant funding since inception through 2023
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Streams of Care Funding
Up 16% – Mid 66% – Down 17%
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12% Rural / 88% Urban
156 Grantees across 74 counties
2024 Giving Areas
Methodist Healthcare Ministries Community Grants are rooted in partnerships that support access to care, integrated delivery systems and patient-centered models. MHM’s goal is to create measurable impact at the community and regional levels to further establish health care networks. Community grants are awarded in seven core areas of investment.
Access to Care – Mental & Behavioral Health
Equitable healthcare access that addresses the mental and behavioral needs of underserved youth and adults, especially in Mental Health Providers Shortage Areas.
Food Security
Approaches that improve food security in communities by improving access to healthy, culturally appropriate and/or affordable foods. To create equitable and sustainable food systems, this includes supporting community-led food initiatives that are linked to local food production, distribution, and labor practices.
Digital Equity
Efforts to ensure communities across 74-county service region have access to reliable, affordable broadband service and the skills and opportunities to use this technology safely and effectively to support their economic and social needs. Through grantmaking, strategic partnerships and advocacy, we are working to improve the digital equity ecosystem, increase devices access, improve digital skills, and support public benefit adoption.
Housing
Efforts that provide fair and equitable housing to low- and moderate-income individuals.
Access to Care – General
Efforts to promote equitable access to holistic approaches to health care for the underserved, especially those who reside in Medically Underserved Areas or Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Economic Mobility
Financial Independence: Efforts that focus on strengthening low-income people’s financial inclusion, knowledge, behaviors and opportunities through financial information, education, and coaching opportunities, along with capital and asset building to develop financial capability and security.
Education & Workforce Development
Efforts that provide education and workforce development opportunities to increase the earning potential of low- and moderate- income individuals.
Funded Partner
2024 Funded Partners
Community grants are awarded annually to organizations who share in our mission of providing health care services to the uninsured and underserved. Our model embraces a holistic approach to health care: mind, body, and spirit. Funds provided by Methodist Healthcare Ministries to partner agencies are intended to improve access to quality care in South Texas. Funding decisions are based on an organization’s ability to effectively demonstrate successful outcomes and program measurement which are reviewed annually by our board of directors.
Capacity Building Services
Capacity Building is a process of working with individuals and organizations to help develop and strengthen their abilities. Capacity building forms a thought partnership between MHM team members and nonprofits that values co-creation, trust, equity, shared learning, and collaboration. To ensure we meet nonprofit partners where they are, we use an asset-based approach—recognizing an organization’s strengths first before identifying opportunities for strengthening. Capacity building is customized with the nonprofit partner in mind and usually focused on a specific operational area(s) such as, but not limited to, fundraising, finance & accounting, and human resources, or a program. Capacity Building services for our partners include peer learning and leadership development cohorts, 1:1 coaching & technical assistance in areas that might need uplifting, online learning platform services, access to resources, and connection to consultants.
Capacity Building Blog Series
The capacity-building team developed a blog series covering a wide range of topics that may interest nonprofit organizations. Check out the latest entry in this ongoing series.
Grant Seeking Resources
The following resources, including the Directory of Foundations and grant opportunities, features foundations who have websites that allow grant seekers to find up-to-date information about foundations and their respective grant opportunities.
Capacity Building Resources
The following resources are designed to help nonprofits with organizational strengthening. These resources are available at no cost and can be viewed or downloaded by clicking on the featured topics or “Resource Library” link below. Be sure to bookmark this page as capacity building resources are added and updated periodically.
