Carcedo shaped and guided the foundation’s grantmaking efforts since its launch in 2014
National search begins for successor
Episcopal Health Foundation has announced that Jo Carcedo, the organization’s first Vice President for Grants, will retire in 2023 upon selection of her successor.
Carcedo has guided EHF’s grantmaking efforts since the beginning of the foundation’s work in 2014, overseeing the selection and distribution of almost $500 million in grant awards. From designing the original grant application process to providing key leadership for an outcomes-focused strategic plan, Carcedo has played a pivotal role in EHF’s journey from a start-up foundation to an established philanthropic organization.
“Jo has been instrumental in EHF’s effort to provide funding and strategic partnership to organizations working to improve community health across the state,” said Dr. Ann Barnes, EHF’s president and CEO. “Jo has shepherded the grants process in a way that was laser focused on helping organizations have a more sustained impact on health, not just health care. Her leadership has been invaluable to EHF’s development and its future.”
Carcedo built EHF’s grantmaking process based on best practices from across the country and hired a team of program officers and grants management staff to put the new system to work.
She also helped lead several groundbreaking initiatives aimed at changing the way the health care system in Texas addresses non-medical drivers of health. She managed key parts of EHF’s $10 million Texas Community Centered Health Homes Initiative – a large-scale, long-term investment to create more active roles for clinics to go beyond the exam room to address community conditions that impact health. Then, she developed the foundation’s Clinics Pathways Approach to better position clinics to develop value-based payment systems to help pay for efforts to tackle the non-medical, root causes of poor health.
“Jo’s impact goes far beyond grant dollars,” says Barnes. “She developed systems and relationships with grantees that helped transform their culture to go beyond the doctor’s office to influence health. The results of her leadership are seen in lasting, sustainable changes in organizations across Texas.”
During her years at EHF, Carcedo also served as board chair of Philanthropy Southwest, was a grant reviewer for the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration, and served on the Grants Committee for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by the Mayor of the City of Houston and the Harris County Judge.
“Working at EHF has been the most significant work of my professional career,” said Carcedo. “I’m deeply grateful for the great opportunity to create and lead one of the region’s premier philanthropic organizations. It’s been an honor to work with so many talented people to create philanthropic practices that serve nonprofits well.”
With Carcedo’s retirement announcement, EHF has started a national search for her successor. EHF has issued a request for proposals for an executive search firm and will post the complete job description and more on our Work With Us page.