Celebrating Local Impact

Funded jointly by Confluence Health and the Wenatchee Valley Medical Group, and administered by the Confluence Health Foundation, the Community Health Partnership Fund was created to help support causes and organizations in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan counties. The fund aims to annually award up to $500,000 each year in grants that serve the community with a focus on two key areas: health and wellness, and the social determinants of health. The 2025 cycle saw a record number of applications – more than $3.5 million in requests – underscoring the growing demand for community-based health initiatives and the importance of investing in local health.

Dr. Andrew Jones, CEO of Confluence Health, shared his enthusiasm for this year’s recipients, stating, “We are proud to support organizations that are making a tangible difference in the lives of our neighbors and the community, supporting groups as they build and make lasting impacts that will serve our region for years to come.”

“Grants are a part of advancing two important focuses for the fund. The ‘health and wellness’ focus looks at projects that directly support health and wellness access and activities. The ‘social determinants of health’ focus can be a bit broader, including initiatives addressing food and housing security, early education, economic stability, social support systems, and other areas. These two key focus areas help us to make selections directly supporting the vision and goals for this grant program,” explained Suzanne Carté-Cocroft, chief philanthropy officer for Confluence Health. “This year’s recipients exemplify the spirit of community-driven health and wellness work. Their work reflects our shared values and our mission to advance health and wellness through local partnerships. We’re honored to walk alongside them in these
efforts.”

Grant recipients are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, or Okanogan counties and each organization is limited to one grant proposal per yearly cycle. As mentioned previously, the name of the fund, which has been around for a number of years, transitioned this year from the ‘Community Partnership Fund’ to the ‘Community Health Partnership Fund’ to better reflect the selection process and focus on funding community health initiatives in the region. Previously administered by the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, the Confluence Health Foundation began managing the fund directly starting May 1, 2025.

“Each year we look forward to seeing the many unique and impactful ways that programs supported by these grants will touch and enhance the lives of North Central Washington residents,” added Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen, president of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Group.

All 50 organizations and projects funded this year work in their own distinctive way to reach the community through the grant’s two key focus areas. In addition to other smaller grants of a variety of amounts, four organizations each received a $50,000 grant: NCW Tech Alliance, Seattle Children’s Foundation, CAFE, and the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.

NCW Tech Alliance received funding for its efforts in their Confluence Access Navigator (CAN) Network, which will train 30 bilingual community-based navigators to improve digital health access across rural counties through workshops, peer learning, and outreach to reduce patient barriers and strengthen connections between technology, health, and wellness.

Seattle Children’s Foundation was also awarded support for its Wenatchee clinic expansion, a project to meet the growing specialized pediatric care need. The funding for this facility, and the partnership this represents between the two healthcare systems, aims to work together to bring more world-class pediatric care to the youngest residents of North Central Washington and their families.

CAFE (Community for the Advancement of Family Education) – a non-profit organization that advances family and community growth through education; leadership, civic, and social engagement; literacy development; and academic advancement – secured funding as part of fundraising efforts for a new facility that will serve as a multi-purpose center for programs, staff, and partner services.

Finally, the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center received support for its renovation and expansion project, which will enhance infrastructure, expand STEM programming, and create a fully accessible cultural hub for education, health, and community connection.

“These projects represent the fund’s commitment to celebrating local impact and investing in initiatives that address both immediate health needs and long-term community well-being,” continued Dr. Jones. “We are so pleased each year to contribute to this great work and to play our own part in being an ally to these efforts.”

More information about the grant and other work to fund regional projects and organizations can be found on the Confluence Health community support page.