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History

The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF) is a private, independent foundation. Our mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention.

The Foundation prioritizes eight health issues for funding:

• diversity in the health professions;
• environmental health;
• healthy aging;
• mental health;
• teenage pregnancy prevention;
• violence prevention;
• women's health; and
• work and health.

The Foundation also provides funding for special projects that fulfill our mission, but fall outside the eight health issues.

Since its founding in 1991, the Foundation has awarded 5,877 grants totaling more than $735 million.

The California Wellness Foundation was founded in 1992, as a result of Health Net's conversion from nonprofit to for-profit status.

Under the terms of the California Department of Corporations' conversion order approving Health Net's for-profit status, the Foundation received the equivalent of the Department's valuation of Health Net at that time — $300 million, plus 80 percent of the equity of the holding company formed as Health Net's parent.

In subsequent years, the merger of Health Net's parent company and QualMed increased TCWF's assets dramatically.

Financial Statements

The Foundation's 2008 Independent Auditor's Report, as well as our Annual Report contain TCWF's financial statements. TCWF's tax return, the 990-PF, is also available online from the Guidestar website (free registration required).