A Call to Action for Philanthropy

Mindful Philanthropy is calling for all of philanthropy to invest 5x more in mental health by 2035 - to $35B annually - through strategic collaboration and bigger, bolder bets.

Read the full press release at PR Newswire

More than 90% of adults in the U.S. believe that the country is experiencing a mental health crisis, and a recent Lancet Psychiatry study suggests that half of the world’s population will develop a diagnosable mental disorder by age 75. These statistics do little to capture the ripple effect that mental health challenges have on families, friends, and communities.


Historically, only 1.3% of all foundation giving is directed toward mental health. Philanthropy has a strategic role to play in filling funding gaps, spurring innovation, and driving meaningful social change. The intersectionality of mental health means that all of philanthropy has a responsibility to this work.

Significant investment is urgent. Mental Health at the Center: The Case for Philanthropic Investment provides a high-level view of mental health needs, gaps, and opportunities to orient funders to the mental health landscape.

Building on The Case for Philanthropic Investment, the second guidance in the Mental Health at the Center series helps new and existing funders prioritize investments in support of mental health that are most likely to make a difference. These priorities are not only critical standalone issues, but they are key to population level outcomes. 

Download the latest guidance, Mental Health at the Center:  A Roadmap for Strategic Investment. This guidance provides you with five key priorities for your organization to make the biggest impact on mental health in America.

Building on this landmark guidance, Mindful Philanthropy created the Mental Health at the Center Roadshow. With the support of philanthropic leaders from across the country, Mindful Philanthropy will be bringing The Case for Philanthropic Investment and our Strategic Roadmap for Investment to at least six cities including Atlanta, San Francisco, Tampa, Boston, Seattle, and Denver.

WATCH: Discussing the Roadmap for Investment

On November 14, 2023, we unpacked Mindful Philanthropy’s second report in the Mental Health at the Center series and learned from experts as they delved into the five key priority areas for investment and the role philanthropy can have in shaping an inclusive mental health system capable of achieving population-level outcomes.

Speakers

  • Linda Rosenberg, Executive Director of External Relations at Columbia University Department of Psychiatry

  • Dr. Tom Insel, Former Director of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  • Dr. Ruth Shim, Luke & Grace Kim Professor in Cultural Psychiatry & Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at UC Davis School of Medicine

  • Dr. Kathy Pike, Director at Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health

  • Moderated by Joe Pyle, Founding Board Member of Mindful Philanthropy & President of Scattergood Foundation

Social Media

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