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iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility
Founded in 1997 as the Consumer Health Foundation, the organization spent two decades as a conventional health-equity grantmaker serving vulnerable populations...
iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility
Founded in 1997 as the Consumer Health Foundation, the organization spent two decades as a conventional health-equity grantmaker serving vulnerable populations in Washington, DC. iF's transformation accelerated under former CEO Yanique Redwood, who led the foundation through a strategic pivot that culminated in the 2022 rebrand to iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility. The shift moved the foundation from writing grants to making direct investments aligned with its mission. Today iF targets early-stage ventures, buyout opportunities, and fund-of-fund commitments across a spectrum that includes healthcare services and real estate. The foundation's known investment posture blends venture exposure with a direct affordable-housing development REIT focused on the Washington, DC region. Its 1200 U Street NW offices sit within a portfolio designed to generate both returns and community impact. iF participates in the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers and Exponent Philanthropy networks, structures that shape its co-investment and peer-learning relationships. The two-person Co-CEO model places Bennett and Le atop an endowment Altss estimates at roughly $21 million. The foundation maintains a mission-aligned endowment structure and an affordable rental housing REIT as adjacent vehicles. Philanthropic operating arms remain integrated under the iF brand rather than siloed into a separate foundation entity. iF's structural distinction lies in the completeness of its conversion: it is not a foundation experimenting with a side pocket for impact investments, but an entity that erased the grantmaking program outright and reconstituted itself as an all-in mission investor. That posture — a full endowment conversion paired with a racial-equity investment mandate — remains uncommon even among progressive foundations.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1997
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Washington
Corporate office
Washington, DC, United States
Principals
Temi F. Bennett
Co-CEO
Hanh Le
Co-CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How did iF evolve from a traditional health foundation into its current form?
The organization operated as the Consumer Health Foundation from 1997 until 2022, making grants to organizations improving health outcomes in Washington, DC. Under former CEO Yanique Redwood, the foundation's leadership concluded that grantmaking alone was insufficient to address the structural drivers of health inequity. In 2022 the board approved a full rebrand to iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility, and the foundation ceased traditional grantmaking to redeploy its corpus entirely into mission-aligned investments.
Who runs investment decisions at iF?
Co-CEOs Temi F. Bennett and Hanh Le lead the foundation jointly. Bennett previously served as iF's Director of Policy, while Le was Vice President of Strategic Partnerships before the Co-CEO appointment. The foundation does not publicly list a separate CIO, suggesting investment decisions run through the Co-CEO office or board-level committees.
Is iF structured as a grantmaker or an impact investor?
iF is structured exclusively as an impact investor. The 2022 rebrand eliminated the grantmaking function that defined the organization's first 25 years. The foundation now deploys capital through direct investments, fund commitments, and a dedicated affordable-housing REIT serving the Washington, DC region, with no carve-out for traditional philanthropic grants.
What investment stages does iF typically target?
iF targets early-stage seed and startup investments alongside expansion and late-stage deals, including buyouts. The foundation also commits capital through a fund-of-funds structure. Its real-asset activity operates through an affordable rental housing development REIT concentrated in the Washington, DC metro area.
How is iF's wealth sourced, and what is the size of its endowment?
The foundation does not publicly disclose its original wealth source beyond its 1997 establishment as the Consumer Health Foundation. Altss estimates the current endowment at roughly $21 million. The foundation deploys the full corpus in mission-aligned vehicles rather than spending down via grants over time.
Does iF maintain a separate philanthropic structure alongside its investment activities?
No. iF operates as a single integrated entity under one brand. The 2022 restructuring dissolved the grantmaking program entirely. What remains is a foundation holding company that manages a mission-aligned endowment and an affordable-housing REIT, both directed toward the same racial-equity and health-equity mandate.
What networks or affiliations shape iF's investment ecosystem?
iF holds memberships in the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and Exponent Philanthropy. The NCRP collaboration included the 'Cracks in the Foundation' study, which examined racial-equity practices across institutional philanthropy and likely informed iF's own structural reorientation.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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