The Colorado Health Foundation: Our Story 

Over the years, our structure, mission and name has changed to best serve Colorado’s health needs. In 1995, the Foundation joined a joint venture partnership with the for-profit HCA Inc. Though our initial emphasis was in medical research and acute care, our vision has evolved to making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.

To achieve that vision, we invest in grants and initiatives to health-related nonprofits that encourage healthy living and increase the number of Coloradans with health insurance. We also work to ensure Coloradans have access to quality, coordinated primary care – which includes a significant investment in the health workforce.

This timeline illustrates where we’ve been and where we’re going:

1995
The for-profit company, Columbia (now HCA, or Hospital Corporation of America, based in Nashville, Tenn.), enters into a joint venture with the nonprofit HealthONE hospital system. Columbia contributes three Denver-area hospitals to the joint venture: North Suburban, Aurora Regional, and Rose Medical Center. HealthONE contributes Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, Aurora Presbyterian Hospital and various other medical facilities to the joint venture.

As a result of the joint venture, HCA-HealthONE becomes the largest health care provider in the Denver area.

1999
The nonprofit partner in the joint venture, HealthONE, begins doing business as HealthONE Alliance – an organization committed to improving the health of Coloradans through graduate medical education, medical research, philanthropy and community programs.

2002
Rose Family Medicine Residency joins the HealthONE Alliance.

2006
HealthONE Alliance changes its name to the Colorado Health Foundation to reflect its work across the state and adopts the goal of making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.

In addition to operating five graduate medical education (GME) residency programs and three community programs, the Colorado Health Foundation awards $20.4 million in grants.

2007
The Colorado Health Foundation awards $29.6 million in grants, while continuing to operate five GME residency programs and three community programs.

2008
Embracing its growing grantmaking role, the Colorado Health Foundation invests more than $45 million in nonprofit organizations and graduate medical education. The Foundation also transfers operation of the Johnson Adult Day Program to Total Community Options – one of several programs the Foundation spun off or discontinued as its grantmaking activities grew.

2009
The Colorado Health Foundation more than doubles its community investment from 2008 to $94 million.

2011
On June 15, the Colorado Health Foundation's Board of Directors approved a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to sell the Foundation's 40 percent stake in HCA-HealthONE to HCA for $1.45 billion. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers approved the divestiture on Oct. 13 and the sale was finalized on Oct. 14.