VNA Foundation
VNA Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation in Chicago that distributes over $2.5 million annually to nonprofit organizations providing home- and community-based health services to medically underserved populations in the Cook County area.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1890
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What VNA Foundation does
VNA Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois (C/O Impact House, 200 W. Madison St, Suite 300). It is the successor organization to the Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago, which was founded in 1890 by Jane Addams and transitioned to grantmaking in 1995. The foundation's mission is to provide financial support to nonprofit organizations offering home- and community-based health services to medically underserved populations in the Chicago metropolitan area, with a primary focus on Cook County. It distributes over $2.5 million annually in grants, typically ranging from $40,000 to $80,000, and has cumulatively awarded over $68 million to nearly 360 nonprofit agencies over its 30-year grantmaking history.
The foundation runs four priority funding areas: Access to Healthcare, Addressing Social Determinants of Health, Mental Health and Counseling Services, and Strengthening the Sector. Its core technology infrastructure is an online Grants Management System hosted at grantinterface.com/VNA, which handles the full grant lifecycle from Letters of Intent and proposals through 6-month and 12-month progress reporting. The foundation also co-developed and maintains the StreetLight Chicago mobile application (with Young Invincibles and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless), which provides real-time shelter bed availability and health resource information to youth experiencing housing instability. Additional programmatic initiatives include co-funding the MAVEN Project telehealth pilot, the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health, and the Chicago South Side Birth Center, plus the Anne M. Davis Mobile Health Award program.
The business model is philanthropy-driven grantmaking funded by a private endowment rather than commercial revenue. The foundation operates with a lean team of approximately 7 staff members and a board of directors, and its operating expenses are described as well under national and local averages for foundations. Grants are approved and disbursed four times per year. The GTM process is invitation-only since FY 2027 (open LOIs are paused July 2026 – June 2027), with outreach to peer health funders for pooled investments and proactive engagement with existing grantees. Marketing and stakeholder communications are conducted through a website, quarterly e-newsletter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube channels.
VNA Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VNA Foundation
- Legal name
- VNA Foundation
- Website
- https://vnafoundation.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1890
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VNA Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation in Chicago that distributes over $2.5 million annually to nonprofit organizations providing home- and community-based health services to medically underserved populations in the Cook County area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VNA Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
Keywords
Where VNA Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
VNA Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grantmaking: VNA Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking foundation that provides financial support to nonprofit organizations. The foundation receives its funding from its endowment and distributes over $2.5 million annually in grants to qualified 501(c)(3) agencies serving the medically underserved in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Standard Program/Operating Grants: $40,000 - $80,000 for organizations with operating budgets of $30 million or less |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
VNA Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VNA Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation that provides financial grants to nonprofit organizations delivering home- and community-based health services to medically underserved populations in the Chicago metropolitan area. The foundation distributes over $2.5 million annually through program, operating, and capital grants typically ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 to qualified 501(c)(3) agencies, with priority given to organizations with operating budgets of $30 million or less. The foundation also co-funds and partners on community health technology initiatives including the StreetLight Chicago mobile application and the MAVEN Project telehealth program.
Product overview
VNA Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking foundation that supports home- and community-based health services for the medically underserved in the Chicago metropolitan area. The foundation operates primarily as a grantmaker rather than a product company, distributing over $2.5 million annually to nonprofit organizations. The foundation does offer several technology-related initiatives including the StreetLight Chicago mobile application, the MAVEN Project telehealth initiative, and maintains an online Grants Management System for applicants. Additional offerings include the Anne M. Davis Mobile Health Award program, the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health, and the Chicago South Side Birth Center initiative.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Program/Operating Grants Financial grants awarded to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations for home- and community-based health services, including program, operating, and capital grants covering indirect costs and core staff salaries. Grants typically range from $40,000 to $80,000, with priority for organizations operating at budgets of $30 million or less, and are approved and disbursed four times per year.
- Special Initiatives Program
Companies that use VNA Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
VNA Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
VNA Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Young InvinciblesflagshipPartnership since FY 2016 to develop, pilot, launch and maintain StreetLight Chicago mobile application for youth experiencing housing instability. The app provides real-time shelter bed availability and health resource information.
- Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH)flagshipPartnership since FY 2016 with Young Invincibles to develop StreetLight Chicago mobile application serving homeless youth in Chicago.
- Illinois Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (IAFCC)coreVNA has supported IAFCC since 2011 when a planning grant allowed development of a strategy to link and network free and charitable clinics throughout Illinois. VNA continues to support IAFCC operating costs while funding individual clinics.
- AllianceChicago / EverThrive IllinoiscorePartners in the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health (CCMH), a maternal health intervention addressing maternal mortality in Chicago by building awareness, fostering collaboration, and driving quality care.
- Irving Harris FoundationcorePartnership to help make Chicago South Side Birth Center a reality. VNA built partnerships with Irving Harris Foundation and Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation.
- Illinois Children's Healthcare FoundationcoreCo-funder for Chicago South Side Birth Center project to establish a freestanding Black midwife and community-led birth center on Chicago's south side.
- MAVEN ProjectcoreFY 20 grant allowed MAVEN Project first presence in the Midwest - a pilot program to assist and mentor providers at Illinois free clinics via telehealth. Three free clinics participated in first year, impacting 2,400 individuals.
- Erie Family Health CenterminorOral Health Initiative partnership beginning 2004. VNA worked with Erie to facilitate increased access to oral health services. After four years, Erie established fully-integrated oral health and primary care services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VNA Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Healthy Communities Foundation: Chicago-area foundation focused on health and human services for children and families in under-resourced communities; comparable geographic scope, health-services focus, and grantmaking scale to VNA.
- Crown Family Philanthropies: Chicago-based private family foundation with grantmaking in health, education, and Jewish community services; shares Chicago geographic focus and a private-foundation structure with VNA.
- Michael Reese Health Trust: Chicago-based private health foundation focused on grantmaking for health equity and access for underserved populations in metropolitan Chicago; highly comparable to VNA in geography, mission, and scale.
- Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation: Illinois-based private health foundation funding children's health initiatives; co-funder with VNA Foundation on the Chicago South Side Birth Center, indicating directly aligned priorities and overlapping grantee networks.
- Prince Charitable Trusts: Chicago-area family foundation supporting health, education, and community services; operates with comparable geographic focus and a similar mix of program, operating, and capital grants to community-based health nonprofits.
- Polk Bros Foundation: Chicago-based private family foundation with significant grantmaking in health, education, and human services for underserved Chicago populations; similar geographic focus and comparable foundation scale and operating model.
- Irving Harris Foundation: Chicago-based private foundation supporting health, education, and human services; co-funder with VNA on the Chicago South Side Birth Center and operates with similar philanthropic focus on underserved populations.
Regional players
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Foundation: Illinois-focused corporate-affiliated health foundation funding community health initiatives across the state; operates in the same Illinois health-equity space as VNA but is corporate-funded and state-wide rather than independent and metro-focused.
Broad incumbents
- The Chicago Community Trust: Large regional community foundation serving the Chicago metropolitan area; much broader in scope and scale than VNA but competes for the same grantee pool and donor mindshare in Cook County.
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Large national private foundation dedicated to health equity and building a Culture of Health; operates at vastly greater scale than VNA but overlaps significantly on health-equity, social-determinants, and community-health grantmaking themes.
Market position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
VNA Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceVNA Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VNA Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
VNA Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VNA Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VNA Foundation
What does VNA Foundation do?
VNA Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation that provides financial grants to nonprofit organizations delivering home- and community-based health services to medically underserved populations in the Chicago metropolitan area. The foundation distributes over $2.5 million annually through program, operating, and capital grants typically ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 to qualified 501(c)(3) agencies, with priority given to organizations with operating budgets of $30 million or less. The foundation also co-funds and partners on community health technology initiatives including the StreetLight Chicago mobile application and the MAVEN Project telehealth program.
Is VNA Foundation a public or private company?
VNA Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was VNA Foundation founded?
VNA Foundation was founded in 1890. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is VNA Foundation based?
VNA Foundation is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does VNA Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Grantmaking.
Who are VNA Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Healthy Communities Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Michael Reese Health Trust, Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation, Prince Charitable Trusts, Polk Bros Foundation and Irving Harris Foundation. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Foundation is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are The Chicago Community Trust and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Does VNA Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for VNA Foundation.
What industry is VNA Foundation in?
VNA Foundation's product category is Healthcare Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.