The University of Louisville is proud to continue its partnership with the Humana Foundation through a transformative $6.75 million grant to enhance health equity research. The funding will enhance and expand scholarship and initiatives through the Humana Health Equity Research Center within the School of Public Health and Information Sciences. This significant investment reinforces the university’s and Humana Foundation’s shared priority of health equity and focus on scalable solutions to challenges in Louisville and across the country. This commitment will serve to ensure the foundation’s previous commitment to health equity work at UofL remains sustainable for the long term.
“The Humana Foundation’s generous grant enables us to not only enhance our research capacity but also continue our commitment to breaking down barriers and achieving equal health outcomes,” said University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel. “This partnership will generate a lasting impact for all and allows us to further amplify our efforts to reduce health disparities and fulfill our mission of improving lives through education, research and service.”
This six-year initiative positions the university as a leader in addressing systemic health disparities through innovative solutions that can serve as national models. Led by Dean Katie Cardarelli and Ted Smith, professor of environmental medicine representing the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, the center will advance interdisciplinary research and foster collaboration across multiple fields and deepen understanding of social determinants of health. By tackling systemic barriers to health equity, the center aims to foster best-in-class community engagement and solution-oriented research that aligns with national health equity standards.
“The Humana Foundation is proud to continue its partnership with the University of Louisville in its mission to foster health equity and drive impactful research and community engagement,” said Tiffany Benjamin, chief executive officer of the Humana Foundation. “Together, we aim to generate lasting, meaningful change by addressing the root causes of health disparities and ensuring that innovative solutions are accessible to all.”
Why this research matters
Health disparities, shaped by social determinants such as housing, education and access to health care, contribute to unequal health outcomes across communities. By addressing these systemic barriers, the Humana Health Equity Research Center will play a pivotal role in reshaping public health policy and practice at a national scale. The center’s efforts will generate data-driven insights, develop best practices for community engagement and create innovative, evidence-based interventions to advance health equity.
Building on research leadership
This grant builds upon UofL’s strong foundation of health equity research, UofL’s and the Humana Foundation’s earlier health equity work and the university’s reputation as a leader in community engagement. The funding will enhance the university’s ability to attract top-tier faculty, expand resources and retain the prestigious Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement. These enhancements further UofL’s capacity to tackle pressing public health issues with a national and global reach.
National and regional impact
The Humana Health Equity Research Center will develop accessible frameworks for addressing health disparities, benefiting communities throughout Kentucky and serving as a replicable model for other regions. By integrating research with actionable solutions, the center is poised to influence policy and practice across the nation, solidifying UofL’s status as a trailblazer in health equity innovation.
The commitment to the Humana Health Equity Research Center is expected to enhance faculty resources within the School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, allowing faculty to undertake advanced research on the social determinants of health and other health equity issues. It will also build upon previous work with Humana and the Humana Foundation to address health equity challenges in Louisville and Kentucky more broadly.
Through this grant, UofL strengthens its commitment to building healthier communities and ensuring equitable access to health resources for all, setting a benchmark for impactful research and meaningful engagement.