Purpose

The purposes of the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation were established in 1950 in the Last Will and Testament of its founder, Julius S. Rippel. <Learn more about our founder.> Importantly, the statement of purpose remains essentially as initially written with the primary substantive change being the separation of the focus on “elderly women” into a focus on the “elderly” and on “women of all ages.” The objectives and purposes of the Foundation are:

• To aid, assist, found, equip, and provide for maintenance of corporations, institutions or associations, organizations or societies which are maintained for the relief and care of, or research concerning the elderly and women of all ages.
  
  
• To provide and furnish funds for the erection of or to aid in the erection of hospitals; to provide and furnish funds for the equipment of or to aid in the equipment of hospitals either in whole or in part; to aid or provide for the maintenance of hospitals in whole or in part.
  
  
• To provide and furnish funds for corporations, institutions and other organizations organized, maintained, and existing for one or more of the following purposes: (1) treatment of heart disease, (2) research concerning heart disease, (3) engaging in activities in support of treatment of heart disease, or (4) engaging in activities in support of research in heart disease.
  
  
• To provide and furnish funds for corporations, institutions, and other organizations organized, maintained, and existing for one or more of the following purposes: (1) treatment of cancer, (2) research concerning cancer, (3) engaging in activities in support of treatment of cancer, or (4) engaging in activities in support of research in cancer.

Julius S. Rippel had great insights. In setting up the Foundation to exist in perpetuity, he realized the importance of giving future Trustees broad authority to interpret how these purposes would be implemented. He foresaw the potential for designating moneys for any one of the purposes set forth to the exclusion of others. And, he provided for the Trustees to adopt approaches that would be appropriate for changing times. While the primary focus and funding direction of the Foundation has shifted over the years, its vision has been faithful to the purposes established by the Founder. <Learn more about our funding history>

Today’s mission is: to strategically invest our limited resources to seed innovation, catalyze change, and create model processes that will lead to improvements in health. By doing so, we believe that we can have a direct impact on the incidence and treatment of heart disease and cancer, the quality of health and life for women and the elderly, and the viability of our nation’s hospitals and healthcare delivery system.