Patriots Owner Robert Kraft to fund healthcare improvement contest

By Kalli Dahlberg

The Kraft Center for Community Health announced Thursday that it will fund a contest to identify the program or individual that best improves community healthcare. The recipient of the prize will receive $100,000 and present at the Mass General Brigham World Medical Innovation Forum.

The contest will be nationally based and open to U.S. community health professionals, non-profit organizations, private sector leaders, innovators, and inventors. Of the applicants, the winner is expected to have had an impact in cancer research, cardiometabolic disease, maternal health, or substance abuse disorders.

“When there’s been great breakthroughs, on average, it takes 17 years to take something great and execute it in the community. That’s nuts. We’ve got to find a way to accelerate that,” said New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, who founded the center in 2011. 

Healthcare advancements aren’t the only thing the Kraft Center and Mass General Brigham hope to improve. They are also aiming to alleviate the symptoms of underlying issues, such as housing instability, food insecurity, and economic advancement. 

“Good health is something you can’t buy. God forbid if you have a problem you need to access the right support. And everyone in the community and country, in my opinion, should have that,” Kraft said.