Vision, Mission, Values and Principles

Vision

People in Howard County live long, healthy lives.

Mission

To improve the health and wellness¹ of those who live or work in Howard County.
This is achieved by:

1. implementing innovative programs focusing on intervention, prevention, wellness, health education and maintenance,
   
   
2. conducting planning initiatives,
   
   
3. participating in public policy activism,
   
   
4. performing strategic and responsive grantmaking and
   
   
5. developing strategic community partnerships

The Foundation’s Unique Role

Our unique role in Howard County is:

1. To provide independent health and wellness leadership in the community and
   
   
2. To leverage our financial assets with the resources of others, to achieve our mission.

Values and Principles

1. We strive to stay abreast of changing community profiles and needs through involvement with, research of and listening to a wide and diverse range of county constituents.
   
   
2. Our constituency includes all residents of Howard County and is not limited to the most at risk and in need.
   
   
3. We fund early intervention, wellness, health education and health maintenance programs to reduce disease burdens.
   
   
4. Our strategic plan is based on our mission and our understanding of our community.  It establishes and guides our funding priorities.  This plan is evaluated every year to ensure that it continues to meet the county’s most significant needs.  Every year we use the plan to develop an annual agenda and associated metrics.  We publish the agenda so that our constituency is aware of our priorities and our activities.
   
   
5. Metrics are assigned to and monitored for all funding initiatives.
   
   
6. Our decisions are made based upon evidence and impact to the community, and exclude conflicts of interest.
   
   
7. The Foundation’s mission, plans, agendas and performance measurements are widely publicized in Howard County to ensure community understanding and grantmaking consistency.
   

The Horizon Foundation's Strategic Objectives

¹Our definition of health and wellness is consistent with the goals of the Healthy People 2020 report: eliminate preventable disease, disability, injury and premature death; achieve health equity, eliminate health disparities and improve health for all groups; create social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and promote healthy development and healthy behaviors at every stage of life.