A Fiscal Year Like No Other So Far

Summing up a health foundation’s Fiscal Year (from July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020) is a little harder when it includes a global pandemic, new levels of political division, and heightened awareness of racial and gender inequities. Circumstances are challenging community health like never before.

Arizona is not alone in this regard. In fact, Central American asylum seekers fleeing political and social unrest were a priority for Vitalyst and partners as this fiscal year began. The fact that we are not alone is actually the point.

This is the good news of the past fiscal year: that we have come together to tackle a year like no other so far. Vitalyst, community partners, governmental colleagues, business affiliates, philanthropic peers, and nonprofit sector leaders have joined together with communities to respond, adapt, and rise to the challenge. The health improvement journey kicked into unencountered territory with high speed and high complexity in 2020. Collectively, we have proven to be up to the task. Collaboratively, we have tapped into creative ideas, broken a few molds, and found new solutions. The issues are far from solved and the work of improving the health, well-being, and vibrancy of our communities is far from done. Yet we can be – and all of us at Vitalyst are – grateful for how well we have banded together to take on the hurdles that have arisen.

Ironically, the events of 2020 arrived just after Vitalyst completed its first-ever, long-range planning process during this fiscal year. A 14-month process with Trustees and broad community partner engagement resulted in a Five-Year Strategic Roadmap that still fits and feels prescient today. Its development prompted timely re-examination of organizational values. Its overarching goal, Collaboration Continuum, and Ingredients for Change are similarly tuned to this moment.

The Roadmap aligns with Vitalyst’s goals, and this online Annual Report for FY20 reflects on our progress within each goal. We also present summaries of Vitalyst’s grantmaking and audited financials for July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. We welcome you to click the icons above or use the links below to access each of these sections:

• Access to Care  and Coverage
• Healthy Community Design
• Community Capacity Building
• Transformative Grantmaking
• Civic Health