The Goodness Web Foundation Names Inaugural Grant Recipients, Awarding $5.3 Million to Accelerate Initiatives Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis
The Goodness Web Foundation (TGW), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization redefining the traditional philanthropy approach by uniting donors with organizations tackling the youth mental health crisis, today announced $5.3 million in grants to be awarded to three inaugural recipients: Think:Kids & Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), The Path Forward, and The Jed Foundation (JED). In these initial grants, TGW will be deploying $1.7 million in 2022, with a total of $5.3 million to be allocated over 4 years to fund efforts to create transformative change in mental health for youth.
"An alarming 1 out of 6 children aged 6-17 in the United States experience a mental health disorder each year. And research has shown that over 90 percent of the money flowing into the mental health system is focused on institutions and acute care, with minimal support of education and early intervention efforts," said Mark Verdi, co-founder and President of The Goodness Web. "We see an incredible need to address these gaps in youth mental health, especially the need to focus on early detection, and to bridge the average 11-year gap between onset of mental health symptoms and treatment."
"We believe many people care passionately about urgently solving the youth mental health crisis but don't know where to begin to give their money or time so that it makes a real difference. We created The Goodness Web to provide a new service to all who care about this cause. Our experts carefully select the most proven and promising nonprofits and then channel our collective donations to them so we can make a bigger difference faster," added Jan Swartz, co-founder of The Goodness Web. "We are excited to award our first grants to Think:Kids & MMHPI, The Path Forward, and JED to accelerate their initiatives in order to create lasting change."
TGW's team reviews existing nonprofit candidates from thousands of organizations supporting youth mental health to identify those organizations with proven track records, measurable results, and solid plans to scale effectively to help more youth. TGW then takes an active role with grantees and donors alike to share resources, exchange experiences, and accelerate progress.
"As someone who has worked in the private venture sector for more than 30 years, it is refreshing to see the proven private equity model being integrated into the philanthropy space," added Gwill York, Founding Managing Director of Lighthouse Capital Partners and Board Member of The Goodness Web. "The Goodness Web's multi-year grants will provide stability for organizations that often have little reserve capital so they can instead focus on their missions and make the impact we know they can have."
TGW's three inaugural grantee partners create systemic change in the youth mental health arena:
- Think:Kids & Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) partnership, enabled by TGW's $2M, four-year grant, will allow for teams of providers to deliver Think:Kids' Collaborative Problem Solving® (CPS), an evidence-based approach to working with children with behavior challenges, through already-established networks of primary care practitioners, leveraging MMHPI's robust Texas-wide reach and impact.
- The Path Forward leverages large employers to drive insurance companies to cover integrated treatment of mental health in primary care settings. TGW's $1.8M, three-year grant will help build a national infrastructure to increase access to care.
- The Jed Foundation (JED) protects emotional health and prevents suicide for the nation's teens and young adults. With TGW's $1.5M, three-year grant, JED will expand to partner with more high schools, colleges, and universities to help them assess and enhance their campus approaches and infrastructure to best support student mental health.
These grants are made possible by the generosity and commitment of the now over 70 initial donors, or "Founding Families," who are dedicated to improving the mental health of young people. These Founding Families are the initial members of what TGW believes will grow into a large community of "great leaders with big hearts who wish to make bold bets" together. "Today, mental health support is highly fragmented and largely ineffective," added Swartz. "TGW looks to encourage next-level collaboration among mental health donors and nonprofits so that we can have a larger, faster impact in helping our youth. We believe better support for youth mental health is one of the greatest needs of our age."
About The Goodness Web (TGW)
The Goodness Web (TGW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2019 by the Swartz & Verdi families. The Goodness Web connects a diverse community of result-oriented donors and partners who pool their resources and expertise to accelerate the most promising mental health initiatives to improve lives. TGW activates its extensive network ? the 'Web' ? to surface the most promising opportunities for investment, share learnings, and facilitate lasting connections. TGW is creating a new alternative to traditional philanthropy to radically change the trajectory, timeline, and impact in the mental health arena with an initial focus on youth.
Backed by a data-driven strategy, TGW's differentiated business model reflects a private equity-like approach by pooling donations from families who are passionate about this cause to scale proven interventions, accelerate innovation, and expand mental health support. The founding team leverages their skill sets and resources to invest in strategies that work, help enterprises build capacity, and create a sustainable mental health movement.
Learn more at https://www.thegoodnessweb.org
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