Local Nonprofits Making Philly Healthier Can Win $40,000

Mar 13, 2017 10:00 AM ET

GlaxoSmithKline (@GSKUS) and The Philadelphia Foundation (philafound.org) today issued the call for applications for the 2017 GSK IMPACT Awards. This annual awards program recognizes local nonprofit organizations that are addressing everyday health barriers in communities across the five-county region. 

 “At GSK, we know that health is about so much more than going to the doctor,” said Becki Lynch, Manager, US Community Partnerships, GSK. “That’s why we recognize and reward local nonprofit organizations that are helping our neighbors access healthy foods and safe places to play and exercise, find high-quality jobs and education, and strengthen their family and social supports – because we know that these things make Greater Philadelphia a healthy place.”

The GSK IMPACT Awards honor effective nonprofit organizations that are working hand-in-hand with the community to make neighborhoods healthier. The GSK IMPACT Awards program is one of several charitable programs GSK offers in the US as part of a commitment to building healthier communities and a healthy America. This is the 21st year of the program and to date nearly $10 million has been awarded across Greater Philadelphia and the Triangle Region, NC.  This year, GSK is proud to partner with The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF) in the administration of the awards.

“Greater Philadelphia nonprofits enhance the health of community residents by providing them with vital resources, and we are proud to partner with GSK on administering the GSK IMPACT Awards,” said Pedro A. Ramos, President and CEO of The Philadelphia Foundation.  “We also partner with GSK on GSK Opportunity Scholarships and on the collective Get HYPE Philly! initiative, and applaud the company’s commitment to the region.”

Eligibility: Eligible organizations include small and mid-size nonprofits with existing programs that have demonstrated results; that are operating in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and/or Philadelphia counties; and that address at least one of the following factors that affect health: 1) Diet & Exercise, 2) Education, 3) Housing & Transit, 4) Employment, 5) Community safety, and 6) Family & Social Support. To view additional criteria and to apply, visit http://us.gsk.com/en-us/about-us/us-community-partnerships/gsk-impact-awards/. The application deadline is Friday, May 5, 2017 (prior to submitting an application, organizations must register online by Friday, April 7, 2017). Interested applicants are invited to participate in one of two conference calls being held on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 from 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET (click to add to calendar) or Tuesday, March 28 from 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. ET (click to add to calendar) to learn more about the program and application process.  For questions, contact TPF at GSKIMPACTAwards@philafound.org.   

Selection Process: GSK and TPF staff review applications and select no more than 20 finalists (spring). TPF staff conduct site visits and a panel comprised of local and national community health experts and GSK representatives evaluate the finalist applications and select up to ten winners (summer). The winners will be notified in the fall and presented with their GSK IMPACT Award and $40,000 each at a ceremony at GSK’s facility at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in late 2017.

The History of GSK IMPACT Awards:  For more than twenty years, GSK has honored outstanding nonprofit organizations that are improving health in and around our US corporate campuses in Durham, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with GSK IMPACT Awards. The name ‘IMPACT’ is an acronym capturing the six guiding principles of the awards – winning organizations must be: Innovative, Measured, Partnered, Accountable, Community-centered, and Transformative. To date, 221 exemplary nonprofits have been honored with nearly $10 million in GSK IMPACT Awards in both the Greater Philadelphia and Triangle (NC) Regions.

About GSK
GSK – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For more company information, go to us.gsk.com.

About The Philadelphia Foundation
Founded in 1918, The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF) strengthens the economic, civic and social vitality of Greater Philadelphia. TPF grows effective philanthropic investment, connects individuals and institutions across sectors and geography, and advances civic initiatives through partnerships and collaboration. To learn more, visit www.philafound.org.

Contact – For interview opportunities, please contact:
GSK
Marti Skold-Jordan         Marti.x.Skold-Jordan@GSK.com                       919-328-0507
The Philadelphia Foundation
Betsy Anderson             banderson@philafound.org                               215-863-8109