GSK IMPACT Awards for Greater Philadelphia

The GSK IMPACT Awards for Greater Philadelphia annually honors up to ten local nonprofit organizations in recognition of their exceptional achievements, overall excellence, and best practices in contributing to a healthier Greater Philadelphia.  Individual awards of unrestricted funding are $50,000.


For nonprofits making “impact” in  Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and/or Philadelphia counties.

IMPACT is an acronym that represents the guiding principles and criteria for this awards program. We seek organizations that demonstrate that they are:

  • Innovative – continually improving with vision, creativity, and leadership in solving pressing community health challenges
  • Measured – capturing quantitative and qualitative data to inform the design, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the program(s) and can demonstrate measurable outcomes
  • Partnered – engaging in meaningful collaboration within and across sectors
  • Accountable – maintaining good governance, including sound financials, strategic and diverse leadership, strong management and stable operations
  • Community-centered – being inclusive, responsive, and adaptive to the changing needs and circumstances of the community
  • Transformative – acting as a component of the larger community health plan that is influencing systemic reform and interventions and are being replicated and/or taken to scale

In addition to the above criteria, applicants will also be assessed on

  • Commitment to racial equity as demonstrated by the organization’s mission and leadership
  • Commitment to improving community health.

Challenge

Much of what influences our health happens outside the doctor’s office – in our communities.  Factors such as access to healthy foods and recreational spaces undeniably contribute to our health.  Where we are born, raised, live, and work matters to our health; yet too many individuals are living in communities that are hazardous to our health.

Solution

The more we understand the connection between our health and our community, the more we can improve it.  GSK is a global biopharma leader with new ambitions and new purpose: to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.  GSK goes beyond discovering, developing and delivering new medicines and vaccines and addresses health challenges where they often start – in our communities.

Process

Philadelphia Foundation staff review nonprofit registrations and invite eligible organizations to complete the application process.  We work together to select 20 finalists.  Site visits are managed and conducted by Philadelphia Foundation.  A panel comprised of community health experts and GSK representatives evaluate the finalist applications and site visit reports and select up to ten winners.

Requirements for award registrants:

  • Organization must have a 501(c)(3) IRS letter of determination verifying status as an independent nonprofit organization. Organizations classified by the IRS as a church, religious, political or private foundation are not eligible.
  • Organization’s annual gross revenue must be at least $100,000 for the previous (2023) and current fiscal year (2024). GSK funding cannot exceed 50 percent of annual total operating expenses. Organization’s gross revenue cannot exceed $5,000,000 for the previous or current fiscal years. Note: Gross revenue should not reflect in-kind donations or pledges.
  • Organization must not be a GSK customer or an affiliate of customer organizations/institutions, including academic medical centers, foundations of customer organizations, clinics, home health or visiting nurse agencies, medical treatment centers, hospices, hospitals, payers, wholesalers and retailers. Note: If your organization is engaged in the delivery of healthcare, or facilitating access to healthcare, then your organization is likely not eligible.
  • Organization must not designate more than 25 percent of annual total operating expenses for patient advocacy.
  • Organization cannot receive a GSK IMPACT Award and another charitable grant from GSK in 2024. Note:  This does not apply to charitable grants from the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Matching Gifts program.
  • Organization must not have won a GSK IMPACT Award in 2022 or 2023 (other prior GSK IMPACT Award winners may re-apply only if there has been substantial positive change and/or significant development in their programs and the organization can meet the above criteria).
  • Organization cannot employ any healthcare professionals as listed at the end of the FAQ document.

APPLICATION GUIDANCE

This is an extensive application with specific eligibility requirements. Interested nonprofits should read the following information in its entirety before registering.  If you have questions, please contact Philadelphia Foundation at GSKImpactAwards@philafound.org.

There are a variety of factors that contribute to a healthier community that have been identified in the County Health Rankings & Roadmap model developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.  Through the GSK IMPACT Awards, we seek to recognize and honor exemplary nonprofit organizations that are making measurable impact on these community health factors, listed below.

Please read more about each category below and visit County Health Rankings & Roadmap for more information, including examples of evidence-based programs and interventions.

  • Community Safety– Programs that support: Healthy neighborhoods, safe streets, crime reduction, civil rights advocacy, community centers, etc. that help to build safe neighborhoods that are free from violence.
  • Education Programs that support: Literacy, life skills, early learning and learning engagement, out-of-school-time, teacher support/development, curriculum quality improvement, coaching/mentorship etc. to help members of the community graduate high-school or go onto post-secondary education.
  • Employment & IncomePrograms that support: Job skills, professional training, resume assistance, career counseling, interviewing skills, etc. that help to reduce unemployment and increase earnings.
  • Family & Social SupportPrograms that support: Life coaching/mentorship, elderly care and engagement, child-care assistance, parenting support, counseling, etc. that help to reduce isolation and increase community engagement and support.
  • Housing & Built Environment– Programs that support: Shelter, safe housing conditions, home assistance, home ownership, transit systems, parks and green spaces, etc. that help to build healthy, connected neighborhoods.
  • Nutrition & Physical ActivityPrograms that support: Healthy eating, exercise, sports, outdoor activity, etc. to help members of the community achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

Amount of Awards:

Up to 10 nonprofits will be awarded $50,000 each in unrestricted funding.

Questions about this award:

Email: GSKImpactAwards@philafound.org

Note: GSK is a global biopharma company with business areas that include pharmaceuticals and vaccines.  GSK’s US Charitable Investments charitable grants are not made and cannot be used to influence or promote the use of GSK products or services.  For that reason, we refrain from providing grants and awards to organizations that give an appearance of a commercial business interest.  Therefore, while we believe that organizations addressing all relevant health factors, including clinical care and access to care, are important, GSK charitable grants and awards must be limited to eligible organizations.

 

GSK IMPACT Awards

Step 2: Register

Organizations must register online using Philadelphia Foundation’s portal.

The registration period will close on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. 

Phildalphia Foundation staff will assess the initial eligibility of your organization.  If your organization’s registration is approved, you will be sent an email with information to access the portal again to complete the application for a GSK IMPACT Award.

 

 

Step 3: Apply

If your organization’s registration is approved, you will be invited to submit an application online using Philadelphia Foundation’s portal.

The 2023 application deadline is Friday, April 26, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Step 4: Site Visits

Finalists will be selected in the spring for summer site visits conducted by representatives of the Philadelphia Foundation.