Since our inception in 1995, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation has worked to promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region. Follow the timeline of highly focused initiatives that were designed by the Health Foundation and implemented in collaboration with key community partners.
What We Do
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation seeks to improve the region’s health in three priority areas:
How We Work
The Health Foundation leads, leverages, and invests in regional initiatives, programs, and policies. We build relationships with regional nonprofits to share our expertise on program development and marketing, award grants to advance health initiatives, and offer leadership development to equip nonprofit leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to transform their critical work.
Who We Serve
The Health Foundation serves 2.4 million people from three states across two countries: Luna, Doña Ana, and Otero Counties of New Mexico; El Paso and Hudspeth Counties of Texas; and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Our Impact
Since 1996, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation has granted more than $266 million to over 300 organizations across the Borderplex region.
But our impact is best understood when you look at the value each awarded grant and program officer adds to the community. From offering indispensable insight and support to our grantees to investing in initiatives that give our community ways to build healthier habits to equipping strong health leaders with greater resources and knowledge, our impact is creating a healthier, stronger Paso del Norte region.
Paso del Norte Health Foundation forms with $130 million in proceeds from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital to Tenet Healthcare Corporation.
Health Foundation Board and community councils throughout the region work on vision, mission and plans for a Healthy Paso del Norte.
Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) promotes healthy eating and increases exercise levels in partnership with more than 70 public, private and parochial schools and 80,000 elementary school children and families through school-based programs.
Walk El Paso mobilizes the sedentary population through fun, interactive walking groups. Program expands to include Walk Dona Ana, Walk Otero, Camino Juarez.
It Takes Two Pregnancy Prevention develops and implements practical strategies for reducing teen pregnancy in El Paso County.
Action for Youth prevents high-risk behaviors among youth ages 12-18, such as drug, alcohol and tobacco use, and promote the development of healthy youth with more than 200 schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses and churches worked with youth and parents in 11 selected communities.
Center for Border Health Research supports a regional research agenda to provide insight into and address better health outcomes for the Hispanic population.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 1998
$3,110,064
Ageless Health promotes independent, healthy living and prevention of isolation for persons 60 years-of-age and older in the region.
Begin at Birth! improves the overall health, safety and well-being of children 0-3 years-of-age, through high childcare standards, caregiver education and fatherhood engagement. Newborn calendars with health tips are provided to all hospitals in the region for new parents.
A Smoke Free Paso del Norte reduces smoking rates among youth, pregnant women, people living with small children and those who lack the resources. City of El Paso adopts a smoke-free ordinance in 2001 with other cities in the region to follow. Smoking rates decrease from 24% to 12% in El Paso County alone.
Qué Sabrosa Vida promotes healthy nutrition and physical activity, while supporting the rich tradition and cultural aspects of regional diet.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 1999
$10,239,123
Healthy Homes and Handwashing encourages handwashing to improve personal hygiene and aid in the reduction of communicable illness and disease.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2000
$19,390,732
Adopted the City of El Paso Smoke Free Ordinance
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2001
$30,072,548
KidFit and Step it Up encourages kids and their families to make healthier eating choices and increase physical activity and decrease sedentary lifestyles of adults.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2003
$47,959,179
Two Should Know reduces poor health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unintended pregnancies and sexual violence/abuse, and promotes healthy sexuality.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2005
$66,657,844
Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine Forgivable Loan Fund - provides forgivable loans to medical students establishing practices in El Paso after completing medical school and residencies with the goal of improving the doctor/patient ratio in region.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2007
$88,957,295
Get Health Initiative Program (HIP) integrates a health curriculum into core subject areas (math, language arts, social studies and sciences, and physical activity) for more than 43,000 kindergarteners through 8th grade students from 74 schools.
Children’s Health Insurance Enrollment outreach increases enrollment in health insurance for qualified working families in partnership with La Fe and Texas A&M promotora program.
University of Texas at El Paso Simulation Laboratory develops a state-of-the-art clinical practice simulation laboratory for training of nursing and allied health students to provide opportunities for continuing professional education for licensed health professionals in the region.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2009
$103,850,485
Baby Café improves access to information, training and support services to increase breastfeeding in the region in partnership with UMC El Paso and Texas Tech University.
Tigua Smoke-Out provides tobacco cessation and youth tobacco prevention education to members of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2010
$110,242,747
REALIZE Executive leadership development program trains already effective leaders into transformational leaders for the benefit of the region’s health with more than 100 graduates in El Paso, southern New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2011
$116,669,882
Regional Strategic Health Framework gathers health leaders in the region to establish regional health priorities including Healthy Eating and Active Living, Tobacco and Alcohol Control, Mental Health and Emotional-Well-being, Healthy Relationships, and Health Leadership.
Paso del Norte Health Information Exchange (PHIX HIE) allows hospitals and other medical providers to exchange clinical data using electronic means with the goal of improving patient care.
El Paso Psychology Internship Consortium trains psychology post-doctoral students to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health service in the border region in partnership with the Hogg Foundation and local universities.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2012
$122,060,116
Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living establishes a center of excellence at the University of Texas at El Paso for healthy eating and active living.
Enroll El Paso supports outreach efforts to help residents select healthcare insurance options with the rollout of the Affordable Care Act in partnership with the United Way.
IGNITE Initiative provides grants to partner organizations working with families, community organizations and schools to offer positive out-of-school time programs designed to increase the protective factors and decrease risky behaviors among disconnected youth across the region.
Paso del Norte Community Foundation supports the philanthropic goals of individuals, families, corporations, foundations and nonprofit organizations to improve health, education, social services, economic development, and quality of life in the binational, tri-state region. Launches the Challenge Fund in 2014 and El Paso Giving Day in 2016 to grow resources for nonprofit organizations.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2013
$131,021,900
Think.Change Initiative dedicates resources to reduce negative bias associated with mental illness funding programs like Mental Health First Aid across the region.
El Paso Behavioral Health Consortium coordinates improvements to the behavioral health system in El Paso County working through strategies associated with justice, families and integration of care.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2014
$141,473,305
Fundacion Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar supports programs that improve the quality of life of children, youth and families in the region by leading, advancing and promoting initiatives, programs and partnerships for health and well-being in partnership with the Hunt Family Foundation challenge fund.
REALIZE BOARD provides training to nonprofit organization board members and staff to ensure excellence in governance in partnership with BoardSource and the United Way of El Paso County.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2015
$152,955,938
Social Host Ordinance adopted by City of El Paso reduces underage and binge drinking by assessing civil penalties to adults that host parties that include minors and alcohol.
Texas Tech Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine begins planning for a new dental school to increase awareness and importance of oral health and supply future dentists and hygienists.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2016
$164,037,314
Playa Drain Trail provides 3.4-miles of hike/bike trail from Ascarate Park to Riverside High School that makes active living the easy choice for residents in the region.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2017
$175,118,687
Housing Authority of the City of El Paso adopts a smoke-free policy for all of its 52 housing communities - the 14th largest Public Housing Authority in the nation and largest in Texas – to reduce smoking and second-hand smoke.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2018
$186,932,120
Texas 21 increases the legal age for the sale, possession and consumption of tobacco products across Texas.
Trauma Informed Care Learning Community launches with at least seven community organizations and to increase the number of mental health providers that serve children and adolescents who are trained in evidence-based therapeutic approaches and trauma informed care practices.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2019
$198,611,227
Texas A&M University Colonias Program partnered the El Paso County and other entities to engage more than 70 promotoras to help families learn the best practices to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 like masking, social distancing and handwashing as well as access to testing.
epcovid19.org and juarezcovid19.com an online resource to provide timely and factual information on COVID-19.
Paso del Norte Community Foundation & United Way of El Paso County establish and make grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund to support nonprofit organizations serving on the frontlines of the pandemic including homeless shelters, food banks/pantries, and social service organizations.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2020
$21,000,000
Texas Tech Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine established to support dental school operations and enable the school to be a leader in oral healthcare in the region through $11 million leadership grant from Health Foundation.
Paso del Norte Center was established with a $1.5 million grant from the Health Foundation to the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute to provide policy and program guidance for regional initiatives and advance mental health awareness efforts in the region.
El Paso Center for Diabetes designed “Now What?” campaign to help individuals diagnosed with diabetes find resources for disease management.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2021
$223,000,000
MacKenzie Scott Gift of $15 million was received to supplement resources available to invest in our network of community partners to improve health and prevent disease.
Paso del Norte Trail received $9 million through partnerships to construct 10 more miles of trail to bring the total trial funding miles to 30.
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was managed in partnership with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and the County of El Paso for the community engagement and grantmaking process for $9.7 million for nonprofit organizations.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2022
$237,000,000
The El Paso Center for Diabetes received a nearly $3 million commitment to help improve operations, expand services, and increase the number of patients served in a new, updated facility on Montana, which will open in 2025.
Texas Tech Foundation received $1.25 million to improve health outcomes in support of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.
Reduce the stigma and increase access to mental health resources with the support of multiple nonprofit organizations and the El Paso Behavioral Health Consortium, Doña Wellness Institute, and ROTMENAS in partnership with Paso del Norte Center at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and state delegates to secure a $50 million appropriation to expand the number of El Paso Psychiatric Center beds available to the community.
Grants and other Charitable Expenses for Health through 2023
$249,000,000
Health Foundation News
Health Leadership
January 18, 2025
The Power of Policy: Promoting Health and Preventing Disease in the Paso del Norte Region
Earlier this month, El Paso Matters hosted a forum at the El Paso Community College with the El Paso State Legislative Del…
January 18, 2025
2025 Health Foundation Funding Opportunity Schedule
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation uses a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to provide funding opportunities to current…
January 18, 2025
Due Date Approaching for Funding under Diabetes Initiative
The final date to submit Letters of Intent under the Health Foundation’s Diabetes Initiative is **Thursday, January 30, 20…