Our Past
The Change Foundation owes its existence to The Ontario Hospital Association, which endowed the Foundation with $50 million in 1996 from part of the proceeds of the sale of Blue Cross insurance. The CEO of the OHA sits as an ex-officio member of the Foundation's 12-member Board of Directors. The independent Foundation operates largely on the investment returns of the endowment, which continues to grow.
Previous Research Projects
During its first decade, the Foundation provided grants to health-care organizations and investigators for a diverse array of topics and developed projects, including applied research, analysis and knowledge transfer, focused on 'capturing innovative ideas and approaches' in health care. (This work is archived on a CD which is available upon request by contacting research manager Hasmik Beglaryan at hbeglaryan@changefoundation.com.)
Nursing Awards
In 2004, the Foundation partnered with the Nursing Secretariat of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on an open competition for innovative nursing projects to improve nursing practice. That collaboration continued in 2006 with another two-tier peer-reviewed competition, this time with a focus on innovations in nursing human resources. The awards were announced in March 2007 and are funded through to 2009. For more on the awards and the projects they fund, click here.
OHAfrica
OHAfrica was founded as a joint initiative of the Ontario Hospital Association and The Change Foundation, in close partnership with the Government of Lesotho. OHAfrica was created in 2004 in response to the challenge made to Ontario hospitals by Stephen Lewis, the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, to play a leadership role in helping to treat and prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa.
OHAfrica was officially incorporated as an independent agency in October 2006; throughout 2007/08, The Change Foundation will continue to support OHAfrica as it completes its strategic plan and board recruitment. The Change Foundation is proud to have supported this initiative that provides hope to so many people living with HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. For more information, visit www.ohafrica.ca.
