PORTLAND, OR – The use of information technology is one of the funding priorities of a foundation formed by The Regence Group, which will fund $2.5 million in healthcare projects in its first year and $4 million per year thereafter.

The Regence Group is the largest health insurer in the Northwest-Intermountain Region. Its new foundation has identified three funding concerns: The use of technology to engage and educate healthcare consumers, healthcare access and quality, and improvements to the way the healthcare system supports individuals and families during the end-of-life process.

"Philanthropy can be a powerful force for driving deep social change," said Mike Alexander, chairman of The Regence Foundation's board of directors. "The Regence Foundation allows us to identify and foster creative, innovative ideas about how to fix our broken healthcare system."

"We are focused on three funding areas that are rich both in need and opportunity for improvement," said Alexander. "The foundation will provide flexible, strategically placed funds to local organizations that share our vision and commitment to improving healthcare for the communities we serve."

The foundation announced five employee-nominated inaugural grants of $10,000 each to organizations working to improve healthcare access and quality.

The grants were awarded to the Coalition of Community Health Clinics in Portland, Ore.; Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City; Snake River Community Clinic in Lewiston, Idaho; Whatcom Alliance for Health Care Access in Bellingham, Wash.; and Inland Northwest Health Services in Spokane, Wash.