St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries, Inc.


The Mission of St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries, Inc.


St. Luke’s Lutheran Health Ministries, Inc. is a non-profit foundation whose philanthropic focus is funding healthcare ministries that will benefit the San Antonio regional community, including direct and indirect healthcare services (medical, dental, mental health care and protective health services); health education; preventive services; wellness initiatives; and healthcare equipment and supplies that are critical to the delivery of direct care.  


(St. Luke's wishes we could fully fund all the worthy organizations that apply to us for grants.  In reality, the requests we receive each cycle far exceed the funds available for grants, so we must thoughtfully assess how closely each applicant’s request aligns with our mission. The majority of our grants support direct and indirect healthcare services – medical, dental, mental health and protective health.  Other requests are given fair consideration, but we tend to give preference to the aforementioned.)
SLLHM Profile

St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries, Inc. was created in 1994 by the members of the Assembly of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The corporation was formed as a Texas nonprofit corporation to serve as the mission successor to St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital of San Antonio after the hospital became affiliated with the Baptist Memorial Hospital System.

SLLHM is governed by a Board of Directors, a majority of whom are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with the remainder representing a diversity of community-minded volunteers.  The directors establish policy, manage the corporation's resources and make grant decisions.

St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries
Grant Application Information and Guidelines
Philanthropic Focus
St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries, Inc., provides support to non-profit health care-related ministries that benefit the San Antonio regional community, with primary consideration given in this order of priority:
1.  Direct and indirect health services (medical, dental and mental health) and protective health services.
2.  Health education, preventive services and wellness initiatives.
3.  Health care equipment and supplies that are critical to the delivery of direct care.

Geographic Boundaries
Applicants from Texas communities previously served by St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, may be eligible, with consideration given to organizations in the following geographic locations, in this order of priority:
1.  Bexar County
2.  Gillespie and Kerr counties and counties contiguous to Bexar (Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina and Wilson)
3.  Other Texas counties previously served by St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital

Program Criteria
Proposals that consider the following criteria have greater potential for receiving grants:

  1. Utilize collaboration with other organizations and community resources in the achievement of their goals.
  2. Address root causes of a concern, rather than treating symptoms.
  3. Leverage the financial and community resources of multiple interests in addressing the issue.
  4. Serve as a catalyst to stimulate joint cooperative efforts among different sectors of the community.
  5. Result in a growing, long-lasting, impact on the situation beyond the value of the grant itself. 
  6. Reflect and encourage sound financial planning and solid management practices in the administration of the project.



Excluded from Funding:
1.  Galas, testimonial dinners, fund raising events, or advertising.
2.  Support of individuals or private foundations.
3.  Past operating deficits or debt retirement.
4.  Fund raising feasibility studies.
5.  Endowment
6.  Services outside our geographic scope
Grant Application Requirements
1.  Limited to non-profit organizations that are tax-exempt under federal law
2.  Organizations that have received funding during the past three consecutive years must take a one-year hiatus before reapplying
2.  Video and audio presentations not accepted
3.  Only one application per organization in any calendar year
4.  Applications must be received via email by the last day of February for consideration in the spring grant cycle; the last day of  August for consideration in the fall grant cycle.  No mailed applications will be accepted.
5.  Application must include:
        a.  Cover letter on organization stationery, signed by the CEO or executive director
        b.  Application (one copy only) - 2 pages maximum, which includes the Fact Sheet and the one-page narrative.  
        c.  Attachments - one copy of each attachment
Applying to St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries
To receive a copy of the guidelines and the application, email Amy Dameron Phipps at aphipps@sllhm.org
Partnering with our Community

In the Spring 2023 grant cycle, we were pleased to support the following organizations with total funding of $195,220

ABODE Contemplative Care for the Dying,  Alpha Home, Arthur Nagel Community Clinic, Brighton Center, Crisis Center of Comal County, YMCA of Greater Bexar County, disABILITYsa, Family Service Association, Good Samaritan Community Services, Grace Lutheran Church, Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation, Guardian House, Haven for Hope, Healy-Murphy Center, Kinetic Kids, Northeast Senior Assistance, Project MEND, Rape Crisis Center, Reaching Maximum Independence (RMI), Roy Maas' Youth Alternatives, SA Hope Center, San Fernando Cathedral Health & Safety Fair, SLEW Cancer Wellness Center, The Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society, Transplants for Children, UT Health San Antonio - Center for Humanities & Ethics.

  
Your Gifts to SLLHM:  Making an Impact

You can be a catalyst for transformational community health services by supporting St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries (SLLHM) with your tax-deductible gifts. 
Send a contribution to:  
St. Luke's Lutheran Health Ministries
PO Box 6101
San Antonio, TX  78209
Questions:  email Amy Dameron Phipps, Executive Director, aphipps@sllhm.org

To receive a grant application or for information, please contact:

Amy Dameron Phipps, Executive Director
St. Luke’s Lutheran Health Ministries
PO Box 6101
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Phone (210) 820-3038
aphipps@sllhm.org