Saint Luke’s Foundation began as a philanthropic endeavor to improve health conditions in the greater Cleveland area. Now, it has become little more than an ATM for far-left progressive causes — many of which have nothing to do with health or medical care.
Under CEO Tim Tramble, who took over leadership of the organization in 2020, the organization has taken a decidedly political turn. Supporters claim the shift is about “health equity.” But critics believe it’s nothing more than a politicized operation operating in the dark.
Since its founding in 1997, Saint Luke’s has operated as a traditional community health funder. It supported clinics, social service agencies, and neighborhood revitalization efforts. It funded several initiatives, such as housing rehab, code enforcement, park and playground projects, school and youth programs, and several others in Buckeye, Woodland Hills, and Mount Pleasant.
This all changed when Tramble became Saint Luke’s Foundation’s CEO and shifted the organization’s focus from traditional health grantmaking to “racial equity” and “dismantling racism.” The group now uses what it calls “trust-based philanthropy” while funneling large sums of cash to progressive causes.
Tramble signed a public statement in February 2025 to push back against the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
The Saint Luke’s Foundation stands with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Despite recent misleading rhetoric, DEI is not about exclusion or favoritism; rather, its practices ensure fairness in decision-making by addressing historical biases. We will continue to make DEI decisions free of racism and discrimination in every aspect of our work. Saint Luke’s Foundation is a living testament for the value of diverse teams, equitable practices, and an inclusive culture.
We reject the distorted framing of DEI. To set the record straight, DEI is not a form of reverse racism, nor is it the practice of hiring people based on their race, sexual orientation, or other identities. It is intended to make strides toward removing bias from a selection process for identifying the most qualified candidates. DEI practices also endeavor to make all members of the group feel a sense of belonging, which has been proven to foster greater individual and team performance.
Saint Luke’s has given money to several leftist organizations, including Policy Matters Ohio, which InfluenceWatch describes as a progressive outfit that advocates for higher taxes, expanded government spending, strengthening labor unions, and climate-related economic regulations. In fact, the group advocates for higher taxes to raise funds for the Green New Deal.
Since 2021, shortly after Tramble took over as CEO, Saint Luke’s has given at least $310,000 to Policy Matters Ohio.
Under Tramble’s leadership, Saint Luke’s has also supported Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC), an interfaith coalition that advocates for “social justice.” It is an amalgamation of Christian churches, synagogues, mosques, and civic groups that aims to push for criminal justice reform, more funding for government-run schools, Medicaid expansion, and gun control.
The coalition was founded with help from the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), which was co-founded by author and activist Saul Alinsky, who is known for his “Rules for Radicals.”
GCC has championed expanded civilian control of law enforcement through Cleveland’s Issue 24, which granted a civilian commission broad authority over police policies, disciplinary practices, and budgeting. Cleveland’s law enforcement agencies experienced serious staffing declines and police officer resignations.
Since 2021, Saint Luke’s doled out at least $300,000 to GCC to “address voter suppression and depression” while “advancing health equity for aging residents.”
The foundation also supported State Voices, a national network of state-based coalitions that unites over 1,200 grassroots organizations around building long-term political power in “multiracial democracy.” The coalition bills itself as nonpartisan, but has championed causes such as abortion rights, environmental justice, and “racial, economic, and gender justice.”
The organization opposes voter ID laws and supports early voting, vote-by-mail, and same-day or automatic voter registration.
Saint Luke’s has given Ohio Voice, the Ohio affiliate of State Voices, at least $125,000 since 2022. Ohio Voice declares that its objective is to “win progressive governance in Ohio.”
The foundation has funded several other progressive organizations. These include Preterm, a Cleveland-area abortion provider, Organize! Ohio, a grassroots outfit dedicated to “progressive change,” and Northern Ohioans for Budget Legislation Equality (NOBLE), which pushes for more progressive taxes and spending priorities.
Under Tramble, Saint Luke’s Foundation appears to function as a shadow politics operation run through tax-advantaged foundations that behave as political action committees without the campaign finance-related disclosure requirements. In this way, the foundation has become a distinctly political animal rather than an entity dedicated to improving conditions on the ground for Cleveland residents.
By rebranding its mission as “health equity,” the foundation has transformed community philanthropy into progressive power-building.