VNSNY Impact Challenge: Overview

VNSNY is introducing a new community impact competition, called the VNSNY Impact Challenge, modeled on the popular TV show Shark Tank. During the competition, VNSNY employee contenders will submit ideas for new community and charitable care programs, and those selected as finalists will then pitch their ideas to a jury of judges.

The goals of the VNSNY Impact Challenge are twofold:

1) Generate awareness throughout VNSNY of our commitment to create innovative solutions to address health care disparities in the community; and,

2) Engage and excite staff from all parts of the organization and at all levels.

Staff from any part of VNSNY will have the opportunity to present the ideas that are driven by the commitment, passion and belief in our mission to help those in need, along with the actual components of a community program—how the idea will be operationalized.

The 2021 VNSNY Impact Challenge Theme

Reducing Health Care Disparities in Underserved Communities

VNSNY has been caring for vulnerable New Yorkers, young and old, since 1893. VNSNY’s founder, Lillian Wald, believed that every individual was entitled to expert and compassionate health care regardless of their socio-economic status, race, gender, or age. Lillian Wald was also a strong advocate for community support. Today, VNSNY continues to focus on helping to shape health care polices and services, providing high-quality cost-effective health care, being a leader in innovative services, and carrying on the tradition of charitable and compassionate care with the goals of increasing access to care as well as community support and awareness.

To further support our mission, we are putting forth a call to action: the VNSNY Impact Challenge—Reducing Health Care Disparities in Underserved Communities. Any VNSNY staff member (or a team) can submit a proposal and potentially have the opportunity to “pitch” their idea(s) this September to a panel of judges that will include members of the senior leadership team, the VNSNY Board of Directors and guest judges. Ideas can include entirely new programs, expansion of existing programs, or pilot/research initiatives. The selected ideas will then receive funding to make the concept a reality. The VNSNY Impact Challenge will involve a two-step submission process. The first step requires the submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI). Based on these submissions, a number of finalists will then be asked to submit a full proposal and prepare a pitch presentation for our panel of judges.