We’re excited to announce that the Buhl Regional Health Foundation (BRHF), a private health foundation, has launched our newly developed Strategic Framework. This framework calibrates our priorities, focus, and strategy for achieving a healthier community over the next 3 years.
“Since its inception, the Buhl Regional Health Foundation has been dedicated to better understanding our area’s health and healthcare needs. We’re grateful for the opportunity to have heard from our community about the unique challenges we face, and look forward to concentrating on areas where we believe we can, collaboratively and collectively, offer the greatest impact,” shared Dr. George Garrow, CEO of Primary Health Network and Board Member at BRHF.
Our recently finalized strategic framework focuses our efforts over the next 3 years on improving the health and wellness of the youth (birth-18 years) in Mercer County. We seek to make an impact through health-focused programming, education, grants, scholarships, and collaboration with local organizations.
“The Buhl Regional Health Foundation’s Strategic Framework/Focus will serve as a catalyst for addressing Mercer County’s negative health status, establishing a positive and healthy position for the next generation. Our youth, and their health outcomes, are the future of Mercer County,” explained Angela Palumbo, Board Chair, BRHF.
Mercer County is currently ranked 57th (of 67) “healthiest” county in the state of PA by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, leaving only 10 counties in poorer health. We reviewed the area hospitals’ community needs assessments and data from the PA Department of Health to determine why Mercer County held such a poor ranking, discovering that the county suffers from a high incidence of preventable health issues. Scientific research demonstrates that improving the health of children can positively impact the long-term health of an entire community, especially in regard to these preventable diseases.
“The Buhl Regional Health Foundation’s vision begins with an investment in the health of our children. A clear focus on youth initiatives, including collaborative community efforts that prevent obesity, improve physical fitness, and promote healthier lifestyles, will lead to an eventual decline in preventable diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and diabetes,” shared Jennifer Barborak, Executive Director, BRHF.
We will prioritize our investments through 2026 to endeavors aligned with these objectives and will support the capacity-building of local organizations who seek to transform the health of Mercer County. We’ll identify indicators of success for each grant, program, and effort we embark on and will evaluate our achievements through data and measurements aligned with our vision and mission.
“Our work at BRHF must be intentional, with clear goals and specific analytics for each program we create and each project we fund. We hope to show meaningful impact through the data we collect, while recognizing that data is more than just a number; data is the story of our imprint on the community,” shared Jennifer Barborak, Executive Director, BRHF.
In addition to our new priority and geographic focus, our grant process will take a new form as well. Although we may open sporadic grant cycles, we will now work to identify specific needs in the community, issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) seeking resolutions to the needs identified. Additionally, a new “Mini Grant” is now available to applicants who seek funding for small projects with the potential for a large impact on the health of Mercer County’s youth. “Mini Grant” applications will be accepted via our Grant Portal on an ongoing basis.
