Superior Health Foundation

What Superior Health Foundation does

Superior Health Foundation (SHF) is a Michigan-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit health foundation established in 2012 following Duke LifePoint's acquisition of Marquette General Health System. Headquartered at 121 N. Front St., Marquette, MI, it operates with a five-person staff (CEO, Program Officer, Executive Assistant, Communications Officer, and Accounting & Grants Manager) led by CEO Megan Murphy. SHF is a place-based philanthropic foundation that funds and convenes health initiatives across all 15 counties of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, with cumulative grantmaking surpassing $10 million as of May 2026 and $1,256,982 awarded to 50 organizations in 2025 alone.

The foundation runs multiple grant programs: U.P. Health Impact Grants ($5,000-$75,000 for transformational projects), Equipment Grants ($500-$10,000), Care Access Grants ($2,500-$10,000) for uninsured and underinsured residents, and an AED Program distributing automated external defibrillators to community organizations. It also administers direct-assistance funds — the Breast Health Fund (up to $2,500 per individual) and the Organ Donation Fund (up to $5,000 for transplant patients, $1,000 for donors). As regional fiduciary for Rx Kids UP, the foundation channels Michigan State University and GiveDirectly's prenatal and infant cash prescription program ($1,500 prenatal + $500/month for six months) to U.P. families, with over 1,200 enrolled families and $3M+ distributed.

SHF funds its operations through endowment returns, donations, and fundraising events (including an annual gala drawing 400+ attendees), and has no parent company or institutional owners. Distribution happens through an online grants portal (GrantInterface), concept-call sessions, and direct community outreach including tribal community engagement. Key partners include Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health, GiveDirectly, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, and UPCAP. The foundation does not use proprietary technology and operates on standard nonprofit SaaS tooling.

Name

Superior Health Foundation

Legal name

Superior Health Foundation

Website

https://superiorhealthfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Public Health Financing, Budgeting & Grants Management (HLAJAMAC)

Keywords

• Health philanthropy
• Community health grants
• Rural healthcare funding
• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Patient assistance funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Marquette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grantmaking and Philanthropic Distributions: As a health foundation, Superior Health Foundation makes grants to organizations improving health across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Revenue comes from endowment returns and donations, distributed through various grant programs including U.P. Health Impact Grants, Equipment Grants, Care Access Grants, and specialized funds like Breast Health Fund and Organ Donation Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Superior Health Foundation is a nonprofit health foundation that makes grants and provides direct assistance to improve health outcomes across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Its offerings include U.P. Health Impact Grants ($5,000–$75,000), Equipment Grants ($500–$10,000), Care Access Grants ($2,500–$10,000) for uninsured/underinsured residents, an AED distribution program for nonprofits, Breast Health Fund and Organ Donation Fund for individual medical-cost assistance, and regional fiduciary administration of the Rx Kids prenatal and infant cash prescription program.

Product overview

Superior Health Foundation operates as a grantmaking foundation serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering multiple distinct grant programs and assistance funds rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include: U.P. Health Impact Grants ($5,000-$75,000) for transformational health projects, Equipment Grants ($500-$10,000) for health-related equipment, Care Access Grants ($2,500-$10,000) for uninsured/underinsured residents, and an AED Program distributing defibrillators to nonprofits. The foundation also administers two direct assistance funds: the Breast Health Fund (up to $2,500 for breast cancer patients) and Organ Donation Fund (up to $5,000 for transplant patients/$1,000 for donors). As regional fiduciary for Rx Kids UP, the foundation supports prenatal and infant cash assistance ($1,500 prenatal + $500/month for 6 months). The Paint the Peninsula Pink campaign raises awareness and funds for breast health. All programs are accessed through an online grant portal, with concept calls required for Health Impact Grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rx Kids UP: Nation's first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. Superior Health Foundation serves as regional fiduciary for Rx Kids across the Upper Peninsula.
• U.P. Health Impact Grants
• AED Program
• Breast Health Fund
• Organ Donation Fund
• Paint the Peninsula Pink
• PowerUP Grantee Collaborative

Products and services

• U.P. Health Impact Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• 32% reduction in infant maltreatment investigations in communities where Rx Kids is implemented
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Michigan Health Endowment FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Co-host of PowerUP Grantee Collaborative annual convening, bringing U.P. health nonprofits together for professional development. Partnership represents collaborative funding approach to strengthen grantee capacity and regional health outcomes.
• Michigan State University College of Human MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead partner for Rx Kids, the nation's first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. SHF serves as regional fiduciary for Rx Kids Upper Peninsula expansion.
• Northern Michigan University Center for Rural HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Community Health Workers program and grantee collaborative initiatives. Director Elise Bur serves on SHF board and Michigan Rural Health Transformation Program Advisory Council.
• GiveDirectlycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministers Rx Kids cash payment program for expectant mothers and families across Upper Peninsula.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan FoundationsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-funder for food pantry refrigeration capacity expansion and Rx Kids program support. Collaborative funding for Upper Peninsula health initiatives.
• United Dairy Industry of MichigansecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration to expand refrigeration capacity at Upper Peninsula food pantries, supporting food security initiatives.
• Marquette County Health DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministers Breast Health Fund on behalf of Superior Health Foundation, processing applications and distributing assistance to individuals facing breast health-related expenses.
• Superior Life ServicessecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartners with SHF to provide AED, CPR, and first aid training to all AED program recipients, ensuring organizations can effectively respond to cardiac emergencies.
• UPCAPsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Asahi Nordic program expansion, training instructors to lead balance, strength, stretching, and mindfulness classes for seniors and communities across the U.P.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• GiveDirectly: Administers SHF's Rx Kids UP cash payment program as a national implementation partner. Comparable as an emerging nonprofit that deploys cash-transfer programs to address health and economic outcomes for vulnerable families, with a focused but national footprint.

Regional players

• Community Foundation of Marquette County: A community foundation serving Marquette County and the Upper Peninsula with grantmaking and donor-advised funds. Operates in the same geography with overlapping nonprofit audiences, providing a comparable local philanthropic infrastructure peer.
• Munson Healthcare Foundation: A regional health foundation serving northern Michigan, including portions of the Upper Peninsula. Operates a similar health grantmaking and donor-development model with hospital-affiliated footprint, making it an analogous regional peer.
• Aspirus Health Foundation: A regional health system foundation based in Wausau, Wisconsin, with operations extending into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Shares SHF's model of regional health grantmaking and community benefit funding, with overlapping rural service territory.

Broad incumbents

• Charles Stewart Mott Foundation: One of Michigan's largest foundations, headquartered in Flint, with a long history of place-based grantmaking in Michigan. Although broader in scope, Mott shares SHF's model of regional grantmaking targeting community health and education, with greater resources and longer operating history.
• The Kresge Foundation: A major national foundation headquartered in Troy, Michigan, with active programming in American Cities, Education, and Health. Shares the Michigan-based health grantmaking identity with SHF and operates as a much larger incumbent in overlapping thematic areas.

Direct peers

• Michigan Health Endowment Fund: A Michigan-based health-focused grantmaking foundation that co-hosts the PowerUP Grantee Collaborative with SHF and co-funds initiatives like Rx Kids. Both organizations target Michigan health outcomes through grantmaking, workforce development, and place-based partnerships, making it the closest direct peer.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation: A Michigan health-focused philanthropic foundation that co-funds SHF programs including food pantry refrigeration expansion and Rx Kids. Both organizations deploy grants to improve Michigan health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations, making it a direct peer in the regional health grantmaking space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Suphealthfound
• Facebookfacebook.com/superiorhealthfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/superior-health-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/superiorhealthfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Superior Health Foundation