Client Journey: A Community Health Foundation

Moment in the Journey

Following the sale of a community hospital, we began working with the newly formed community health foundation that was started with the proceeds from the sale. Launching the foundation was very important in this economically depressed area, with high unemployment, high teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates, and poor access to affordable health care options.

Their mission became ours: to help improve the health and quality of life for local residents through grants and scholarships.

Highlights of the Journey

Partnering closely with the Board from its inception in 1995, we began by helping the foundation define its investment objectives and create a formal process to ensure proper governance and stewardship of the funds.  Specifically, we developed an Investment Policy Statement, conducted a comprehensive asset allocation study to illustrate risk and return characteristics for various investment options, and then built a portfolio of funds and managers appropriate for the client.  These initial steps proved valuable during the extreme volatility of the markets in 2008-09.  Working in partnership with the Board, we encouraged them to hold to their plan, not panic, and remain focused on long-term objectives.  Our relationship grew even stronger through the difficult days as we worked toward optimizing outcomes in the short term and continuing the mission over the long term.

The Journey Goes On

The community health foundation has been able to facilitate the redistribution of all initial funds back into the local community in the form of grants and scholarships. The foundation has also launched progressive programs, including a public relations campaign focusing on supporting victims of domestic violence, the funding of dedicated career counselors in the local high school, youth learn to swim programs, diabetes testing and treatment, and support for the homeless, uninsured, and underfed.  They have truly helped lead the redevelopment of the local community.

These case studies are based on actual events in which certain of The Colony Group’s counselors were involved and were selected to represent a cross section of client situations that The Colony Group has encountered. All clients have different and unique circumstances and needs, and what may have been the appropriate solution for one particular client may not be the appropriate solution for your particular set of circumstances. There can be no assurance that The Colony Group will be able to achieve the same or similar results in comparable situations.

Please note that these case studies were prepared without client input and should not be construed as an endorsement or statement of the client’s experience with The Colony Group.