The Humana Foundation

What The Humana Foundation does

The Humana Foundation is a private nonprofit philanthropic foundation established in 1981 as the charitable arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The Foundation's mission is to advance health equity by eliminating unjust, avoidable, and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare, with a focus on three target populations: seniors (65+), veterans, and school-aged children. Operating geographies are concentrated in four states: Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, with secondary research funding that extends nationally. As of 2025, the Foundation has invested over $764 million in communities since 1975 and distributed approximately $26 million in grants during the year.

The Foundation's product portfolio is structured around four strategic commitments: Connected Healthy Lives (core grantmaking for mental health and nutrition), Health Equity Innovation Fund (seed funding for novel interventions), Disaster Philanthropy (emergency relief and recovery), and Research (university-led studies into social determinants of health). The Foundation co-founded the Face the Fight national veteran suicide prevention coalition with USAA and Reach Resilience in June 2023, committing $11 million cumulatively through 2026 toward a goal of halving veteran suicide by 2030. Operational technology is limited to off-the-shelf SaaS: SmartSimple powers the grant application portal, Benevity administers employee giving and volunteer tracking (via Humana Together), and Scholarship America manages the dependent scholarship program (up to $3,000/year, $12,000 maximum per recipient).

The Foundation is funded through a Humana Inc.-backed endowment and an annual board-approved budget, and does not generate revenue in the commercial sense. Its go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: it runs an annual Q1 grant cycle, hosts Humana Community Day (12,000+ volunteers across five cities in 2025), operates the quarterly Foundation Friday podcast, and manages a Senior Council advisory board. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors comprising current and retired Humana executives alongside community leaders, meeting quarterly. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability, and no M&A activity; the operating model is pure philanthropic grantmaking, employee volunteer mobilization, and strategic coalition-building.

Name

The Humana Foundation

Legal name

The Humana Foundation

Website

https://humanafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Humana Foundation is a private nonprofit philanthropic foundation and the charitable arm of Humana Inc., established in 1981 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. It distributes approximately $26 million annually in grants to advance health equity for seniors, veterans, and school-aged children across Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Philanthropy / Health Equity Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI)

Keywords

• Health equity grants
• Corporate philanthropy
• Disaster relief funding
• Veteran suicide prevention
• Community health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: The Humana Foundation receives funding through an endowment and an annual budget approved by its Board of Directors. The Foundation does not generate revenue but distributes funds through grants to support health equity initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Humana Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that distributes grants and conducts community programs to advance health equity for seniors, veterans, and school-aged children. Its core offerings consist of four strategic commitments—Connected Healthy Lives, the Health Equity Innovation Fund, Disaster Philanthropy, and Research—plus the Face the Fight national veteran suicide prevention initiative, an employee-dependent scholarship program, and the Double Match Day employee giving campaign. The Foundation's funding is sourced from an endowment and an annual budget approved by its Board of Directors, and it has invested more than $764 million in communities since 1975.

Product overview

The Humana Foundation is a philanthropic organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of grant programs, research initiatives, and community programs focused on advancing health equity. The core portfolio includes four strategic commitments (Connected Healthy Lives, Health Equity Innovation Fund, Disaster Philanthropy, and Research), along with the Face the Fight veteran suicide prevention initiative. The Foundation operates grant programs through a SmartSimple-powered portal, manages employee giving through Benevity, and disseminates impact stories via the Foundation Friday podcast. The Foundation's work spans Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, targeting seniors, veterans, and school-aged children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Connected Healthy Lives Strategic grantmaking commitment focused on creating healthy emotional connections and supporting seniors, veterans, and school-aged children in living connected, healthy lives by removing barriers in healthcare.
• Health Equity Innovation Fund Seed funding initiative providing grants to organizations working to eliminate barriers in health and health care, testing interventions and solutions designed to address preventable, chronic diseases for populations facing inequity.
• Disaster Philanthropy Emergency relief and long-term recovery funding to communities in crisis, including matching donations from Humana associates, focusing on immediate relief and equitable disaster response.
• Research Grants Program Solution-focused research grants generating knowledge that translates into practical solutions for removing barriers to healthy, connected lives, focusing on nutrition education, youth suicide prevention, and caregiver support.
• Face the Fight National veteran suicide prevention initiative co-founded with USAA and Reach Resilience, providing philanthropic grants to nonprofit organizations supporting evidence-based suicide prevention programs with a goal of cutting the veteran suicide rate in half by 2030.
• Connected Healthy Lives Grant Cycle Annual grant cycle opening in Q1, accepting both single and multi-year grant proposals for organizations addressing mental health needs or advancing nutrition for seniors, veterans, and school-aged children, administered through the SmartSimple grant management portal.
• Scholarship Program College scholarship program for children of Humana employees, providing up to $3,000 annually for postsecondary education, renewable for up to three years with a total possible award of $12,000, administered through Scholarship America.
• Double Match Day Annual employee giving campaign where Humana and CenterWell employee donations to eligible nonprofits are doubled by the Humana Foundation, with additional grants awarded to participating employees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million veterans, service members, and family members reached since Face the Fight launch in 2023
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Jewish Heritage FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025Co-partner with University of Louisville in opening the Health and Well-being Center at Junior Achievement of Kentucky, integrating mental health education with financial literacy.
• University of LouisvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025Partnered with Jewish Heritage Fund to open Health and Well-being Center at Junior Achievement of Kentucky, designed to reach nearly 10,000 youth annually.
• 4Roots Foundation (4R Foundation Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2025Funding 16-week Food as Medicine pilot for low-income Spanish-speaking seniors at Catholic Charities near UCF. Participants showed 9mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure and improved overall well-being.
• USAAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2023USAA co-founded the Face the Fight veteran suicide prevention initiative with the Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience. USAA seeded the coalition with an initial $10 million in grants. The initiative aims to cut the veteran suicide rate in half by 2030 and has grown to 250+ coalition partners.
• Reach Resilience (Endeavors Foundation)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2023Reach Resilience, formed in 2021 as a mission enabler for Endeavors, co-founded Face the Fight with a five-year $25 million commitment. The organization coordinates disaster relief and veteran support services.
• UNC Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Received $250,000 research grant to examine barriers to healthy emotional connections and approaches to nutrition. One of four university research partners in the Foundation's inaugural research grants program.
• UNC Chapel Hill School of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Awarded $250,000 research grant as part of the Foundation's health equity research strategy examining social determinants of health.
• University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Received $250,000 research grant to explore relationships between nutrition, emotional health, and chronic disease.
• Yale School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Awarded $250,000 research grant examining health equity barriers and intervention effectiveness.
• OATS by AARP (Older Adults Technology Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to improve digital literacy among seniors through Senior Planet technology centers. The Foundation's partnership with OATS extends through 2027. Received $2.5 million Health Equity Innovation Fund grant.
• Generations UnitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $100,000 grant to support grandfamilies through Children's Home Network (Florida) and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (Louisiana) programs.
• Foundation for Appalachian KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $150,000 for tornado relief efforts and $150,000 for flood recovery support in Eastern Kentucky communities.
• Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to fund expanded access to mental health services across Louisville. In first year, initiative connected 4,500+ people to mental health services and helped hire 31 new mental health professionals.
• Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding Operation Hero, an after-school program for military children at Fort Campbell, Fort Cavazos, and Fort Bliss. In one year, supported 126 military children with 85% showing improved behavior and coping skills.
• Team Kentucky Storm Relief FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $100,000 to support recovery of Kentuckians impacted by recent flooding.
• San Antonio Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $150,000 as part of Central Texas flood recovery efforts.
• Community Foundation of the Texas Hills CountryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $150,000 for Kerr County Flood Relief Fund following Central Texas flooding.
• Children's Bereavement Center of South TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $100,000 for grief support services following Central Texas flood tragedy.
• Center for Disaster PhilanthropyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $100,000 as part of coordinated disaster recovery efforts.
• Seniors in Service of Tampa BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant support for veteran wellbeing events at Bahia Apartments, providing fresh produce, cooking training, and community connection for formerly homeless veterans.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and AcadianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $240,000 to continue delivering nutritious food to seniors in Louisiana, building on $575,000 in previous grants.
• Volunteers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $3 million for Mid-States partnership with Louisville Metro Government to build Community Care Campus providing shelter, affordable housing, and health support for unhoused individuals.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Anthem Foundation (Elevance Health Foundation): The charitable arm of Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), one of the largest US health insurers. Highly comparable as a corporate health-insurer-affiliated foundation focused on health equity, with similar grantmaking scale, geographic priorities, and target populations including seniors.
• Centene Foundation: The charitable foundation of Centene Corporation, a major government-sponsored healthcare insurer. Comparable corporate foundation structure targeting health equity for vulnerable populations including seniors and low-income families.
• Cigna Group Foundation: The philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group, a major US health services company. Comparable corporate foundation structure targeting health equity, with similar focus on mental health, chronic disease, and underserved communities.
• United Health Foundation: The philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, the largest US health insurer. Directly comparable as a peer health-insurer-affiliated foundation pursuing health equity outcomes with national scope and similar population health focus areas.
• CVS Health Foundation (Aetna Foundation): The philanthropic arm of CVS Health, which acquired Aetna. Comparable health-insurer-and-pharmacy-affiliated foundation working on health equity, behavioral health, and senior care with overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Kaiser Permanente Community Health Foundation: Kaiser Permanente's charitable arm, a large integrated payor-provider system. Comparable as a healthcare-affiliated foundation focused on community health, health equity, and addressing social determinants of health, with substantial annual grantmaking.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The largest US philanthropy focused exclusively on health and health equity. Compares to Humana Foundation as a broader incumbent with much larger scale, longer track record, and wider national scope in the same health equity space.
• Kresge Foundation: Major US philanthropy with significant health equity programming alongside broader social investments. Comparable as a much larger incumbent foundation operating in overlapping health equity and community development domains.

Regional players

• Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation (e.g., BCBS Louisiana, BCBS Kentucky): State-level Blue Cross Blue Shield foundations operating within Humana Foundation's focus geographies. Comparable as health-insurer-affiliated regional foundations addressing similar health equity priorities within shared states like Kentucky and Louisiana.

Emerging players

• Eli Lilly Foundation: The philanthropic arm of Eli Lilly, headquartered in Indiana. Compares as a healthcare-corporate-affiliated foundation operating with corporate backing in overlapping geographies (Indiana borders Kentucky), targeting community health, mental health, and health equity outcomes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humana-foundation-inc
• Xx.com/HumanaFdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments34 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Humana Foundation