Paso Del Norte Health Foundation

What Paso Del Norte Health Foundation does

Paso del Norte Health Foundation (PdNHF) is a private, Texas-incorporated 501(c)(3) health foundation established in 1995 with $130 million in proceeds from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital to Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Headquartered at 221 N. Kansas, Suite 1900 (Wells Fargo Plaza, El Paso, TX), the Foundation leads grantmaking, program development, and policy advocacy across the Paso del Norte Borderplex region — serving 2.4 million people across Luna, Doña Ana, and Otero Counties (NM); El Paso and Hudspeth Counties (TX); and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (Mexico). Its work is organized into three priority areas: Healthy Living (trails infrastructure, smoke-free initiatives, active living), Disease Prevention & Management (diabetes prevention and management, clinical education), and Health Leadership (nonprofit board training, healthcare workforce pipeline). The Foundation operates the PHIX Health Information Exchange as a regional clinical data interoperability utility connecting hospitals and providers across the borderplex, and runs the Paso del Norte Board Training program (formerly REALIZE) for nonprofit governance capacity-building.

The Foundation funds its programs primarily through investment income on a perpetual endowment that grew from $130M (1995) to $288.6M (end of 2024), augmented by major gifts including a $15M MacKenzie Scott donation in 2022. Since 1996 it has disbursed more than $266 million in grants to over 300 regional nonprofit, governmental, and academic partners. The Foundation does not charge for services or accept grant applications from individuals; its distribution channel is a Request for Proposals (RFP) process, supplemented by multi-year strategic grants approved by its Board of Directors (currently chaired by Carlos Fernandez). Co-managed vehicles include COVID-19 Response Fund and American Rescue Plan Act disbursements, often jointly with the affiliated Paso del Norte Community Foundation and binational partner Fundación Paso del Norte.

Name

Paso Del Norte Health Foundation

Legal name

Paso del Norte Health Foundation

Website

https://pdnhf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paso del Norte Health Foundation is a perpetual-endowment health philanthropy (assets $288.6M, 2024) that grants funds and operates programs across the Paso del Norte Borderplex (Texas, New Mexico, Chihuahua), serving 2.4 million residents through healthy living, disease prevention, and health leadership initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Philanthropy & Community Health Foundation Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Lifestyle Education (Non-clinical) (EDAAAHAL)

Keywords

• Health philanthropy grants
• Community health programs
• Disease prevention initiatives
• Nonprofit leadership training
• Regional health foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

El Paso

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investment Income: The majority of grant money comes from investment income. The investments are managed to provide a perpetual source of support for the Foundation's programs.
2. Grant Disbursements: Since 1996, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation has granted more than $266 million to over 300 organizations across the Borderplex region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is a regional health philanthropy that awards grants and runs programs across three priority areas—Healthy Living (trails, healthy eating, smoke-free), Disease Prevention & Management (diabetes prevention, early detection), and Health Leadership (nonprofit board training and strategic healthcare investments)—to improve health outcomes across the binational Paso del Norte region. It also operates the Paso del Norte Health Information Exchange (PHIX HIE), enabling electronic clinical data exchange among hospitals and medical providers. Since 1996, it has granted more than $266 million to over 300 organizations across the Borderplex.

Product overview

Paso del Norte Health Foundation operates as a regional health philanthropy organization with three interconnected priority areas: Healthy Living (physical activity through trail infrastructure, healthy eating, smoke-free initiatives), Disease Prevention & Management (diabetes programs, early detection, healthcare education), and Health Leadership (board training, strategic healthcare investments). The foundation functions as a grantmaking organization that leads, leverages, and invests in regional initiatives, programs, and policies to promote health and prevent disease across the Paso del Norte region spanning two U.S. states and Mexico. Key programs include the Paso del Norte Trail infrastructure initiative, Diabetes Initiative with multiple grantee partners, Smoke-Free Initiative addressing tobacco/nicotine use, Paso del Norte Board Training for nonprofit governance, and Strategic Initiatives supporting healthcare education institutions including Texas Tech medical and dental schools. The foundation does not offer a single unified software product but rather provides programs, grants, and services to improve regional health outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthy Living Programs A core priority area of the foundation promoting health and preventing disease through healthy eating, active living, physical activity infrastructure (trails), and tobacco/nicotine prevention initiatives, funded through grants to regional partners.
• Disease Prevention & Management Programs A core priority area focused on diabetes prevention, early detection, and management through grants to regional organizations, public awareness campaigns, and healthcare professional development in the Paso del Norte region.
• Health Leadership Programs A core priority area focused on developing nonprofit leadership capacity through board training programs, strategic initiatives funding, and support for healthcare professional education.
• Paso del Norte Trail A regional trail system spanning approximately 70 miles connecting communities from Tornillo, Texas to Anthony, New Mexico, promoting active living and physical activity across the Paso del Norte region. Approximately 21 miles complete with 36 miles having secured development funding.
• Diabetes Initiative A comprehensive diabetes prevention, early detection, and management program funding evidence-based programs, public awareness activities, and organizational systems improvements across the Paso del Norte region.
• Smoke-Free Paso del Norte Initiative A regional tobacco and nicotine prevention program including youth vaping education, cessation resources, policy advocacy, and community coalitions to reduce tobacco use and exposure across the Paso del Norte region.
• Paso del Norte Board Training A nonprofit board member training program covering governance skills, legal/ethical responsibilities, digital transformation, and AI topics for regional nonprofit leaders.
• Strategic Initiatives Catalytic projects and transformative initiatives including funding for Texas Tech Foster School of Medicine, Hunt School of Dental Medicine, PHIX Health Information Exchange, and UTEP School of Nursing programs.
• Grant Account Login Portal Online portal for grantees to access and manage their grant accounts, submit progress and final reports, and communicate with foundation staff.
• Trails Initiative A program focused on expanding trail infrastructure including Paso del Norte Trail, Playa Drain Trail, and Rio Grande Riverpark Trail to make physical activity an easy choice for residents across the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15.3% of El Paso County adults live with diabetes, a rate higher than state and national levels
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Texas Tech University (Foster School of Medicine, Hunt School of Dental Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPdNHF provided $11 million leadership grant in 2021 to support the Texas Tech Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine operations. Also supporting the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine with forgivable loans for medical students establishing practices in the region.
• United Way of El Paso CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for board training programs, REALIZE leadership development, and collaborative grantmaking including COVID-19 Response Fund and migrant crisis support.
• Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (Paso del Norte Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPdNHF established the Paso del Norte Center with a $1.5 million grant to provide policy and program guidance for regional initiatives and advance mental health awareness efforts. Working to secure $50 million appropriation for El Paso Psychiatric Center beds.
• Paso del Norte Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister foundation supporting philanthropic goals of individuals, families, corporations, and nonprofits. Co-managing COVID-19 Response Fund and American Rescue Plan Act grants. Also managing MacKenzie Scott related grants.
• Fundación Paso del NortecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBinational foundation supporting programs that improve quality of life for children, youth and families. Partnering on board training for Cd. Juárez participants and REALIZE Executive program in Juárez.
• El Paso Center for DiabetescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived nearly $3 million commitment to help improve operations, expand services, and increase patients served in new facility on Montana opening in 2025. Also received $3.1 million grant for Transforming Lives initiative.
• City of Sunland ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to extend the Paso del Norte Trail into Sunland Park with a nearly $2 million investment for design, engineering, and construction of approximately 10 miles of trail.
• Rails to Trails ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPdNHF Senior Program Officer served as panelist at Rails to Trails Conservancy's TrailNation Summit, sharing insights on innovative trail funding across municipal lines.
• Congresswoman Veronica EscobarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborating with Congresswoman Escobar on the Paso del Norte Trail development and regional trail initiatives.
• Texas Tech Health El PasominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot program demonstrating that dentists can identify undiagnosed diabetes in patients. Highlights scalable model for healthcare deserts.
• Community Foundation of Southern New MexicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer board training courses in Doña Ana, Otero, and Luna counties in New Mexico.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdnhfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PDNHFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/PdNHFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pdnhfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdnhfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Paso Del Norte Health Foundation