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Live

Housing

Learn

Education

Earn

Economic Opportunity

Thrive

Health & Wellness

Strategic Priorities

Dogwood Health Trust wants to help create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all. (And when we say all, we mean all – no exceptions.)  To do this, we’ll focus a large portion of our work on four key strategic areas: Housing, Education, Economic Opportunity and Health & Wellness.

Live

Learn

THRIVE

EARN

Explore the Dogwood Health Trust Strategic Priorities

Click on a strategic priority to learn more about that priority.

LIVE : Housing

Health, wellbeing and security begin when people are safely and affordably housed. There are many area partners who bring strengths, expertise and assets to this work. In addition to providing some grant funding for this purpose, Dogwood will play the role of bridge funder, loan guarantor, or equity partner rather than simply writing a grant check. This helps increase our impact in the region while preserving grant funds for other strategic purposes.

LEARN : Education

We believe education begins at birth and lasts throughout life. It can be a key to unleash the potential of opportunity for everyone ​​ to obtain a fulfilling job, secure a safe and stable home, and enjoy better health outcomes, especially for those whose communities have been under-resourced. Therefore, education should be equitable, excellent in its delivery and accessible to all regardless of place, gender or ethnicity. We are committed to investing deeply across all sectors of education: early childhood, K-12, and post-secondary.

EARN : Economic Opportunity

We believe the ability to earn an income which can sufficiently support a family is at the foundation of sustaining a healthy life. We believe economic opportunity is our greatest weapon in the fight against poverty and to improve all social determinants of health. Using the philanthropic tools of impact investing and program-related investments, Dogwood Health Trust helps our region’s economic developers attract and grow local businesses to create a more dynamic economy with jobs that support families in their pursuit of healthy and fulfilling lives.

THRIVE : Health & Wellness​

Everyone deserves to be healthy regardless of status, resources or circumstances. Equity within health and wellness occurs when people can attain their full health potential. No one should be disadvantaged in this opportunity. We aim to support access to care, improve the social conditions that contribute to health, and support upstream interventions and social determinants of health. We work to create healthy communities to ensure that everyone in WNC has the physical and mental ability to fully participate in education and employment opportunities, and to maintain a safe and stable home for themselves and their families.

Our Board believes that these four areas will have an impact on everyone’s lives from birth onward. They are intertwined and interdependent. And they are what make a fulfilled life possible.

Life milestones diagram

Of course, not every need concerning health and well-being will fall in these four areas, so Dogwood Health Trust also will constantly keep an eye toward other opportunities that can deliver results for Western North Carolina communities.