FEMHC - Who We Are
In addition to developing and funding research projects, the Foundation serves in a variety of other roles to further its mission including the following: Incubator: Donors are able to use the Foundation to initiate and support the creation of new Programs of Excellence. Before legally incorporating their new initiative on a stand-alone basis, donors are able to attract tax-deductible, start-up funding through the Foundation. Once the Fund’s program was established, the Fund leaders might spin it off and develop it into its own non-profit. Operator: The Foundation also designs and conducts its own research and educational programs. Grantseeker: The Foundation seeks donations from individuals, corporations and other foundations. Philanthropic Partner: Many mental health initiatives have insufficient expansion capacity and adaptability and need a partner to help them obtain grants and fund development. The Foundation’s expertise in planned giving could help these organizations grow and thrive by assisting them with capital campaigns and management of endowments. Neutral Convener: The Foundation convenes interested parties and experts to discuss and formulate plans for developing new mental-health protocols and treatment strategies. The Foundation rises above the politicization of issues and our role in these meetings, as a “neutral convener,” helps ensure that resulting philanthropic activity promotes mental health care in ways that are consistent with the Foundation’s mission. Adviser: The Foundation is an adviser to donors wishing to make a difference in the mental health world, and to the leaders of innovative not-for-profit mental health initiatives that are in need of donor resources. The advice to both groups is based on the Foundation’s “New Mainstream” principles and will focus on programs that produce concrete, measurable improvements in the quality of life of individuals with psychiatric challenges. Evaluator: Because so many of the mental health initiatives of the past two decades have failed, donors today often mistrust requests for philanthropy to assist with mental health issues. For this reason, the Foundation staff will ensure that all fund recipients are held accountable. Each recipient of Foundation funds will be required to submit a detailed budget and timeline, to focus on clear goals that are consistent with the Foundation’s mission, to make regular progress reports, and produce quantifiable results. Objective evaluation and documentation of these results will build greater trust in mental health philanthropy.