Nemours Foundation operates Nemours Children’s Health, a U.S. pediatric health system focused on care, research, prevention, education and whole-child health.
Nemours works to improve children’s health by providing leadership, specialized care, institutions and programs that may not otherwise be available, with consistent quality regardless of a family’s financial status.
The Nemours Foundation was incorporated in Florida in 1936 under the terms of Alfred I. duPont’s will. His estate and charitable trust directed support toward children’s health, the preservation of Nemours Estate and services for low-income seniors in Delaware. In 1940, the Alfred I. duPont Institute opened in Wilmington, Delaware as the foundation’s first pediatric orthopedic institution. Nemours later expanded from a children’s orthopedic hospital into an integrated pediatric health system with hospitals, clinics, research, education, prevention and health information services.
Nemours is primarily an operating foundation and nonprofit pediatric health system, not a conventional open grantmaking foundation. Its work is delivered through hospitals, outpatient care, research, medical education, digital health information, prevention, policy advocacy and community partnerships. Its “Whole Child Health” approach addresses clinical care alongside factors such as nutrition, education, housing, mental health and family stability. Some community initiatives include targeted investments, donor-funded programs, partnerships and associate-led community projects.
Nemours has grown from a pediatric orthopedic hospital into one of the largest integrated pediatric health systems in the United States. It reports caring for 544,000+ children annually, operating 70+ locations in six states, and training 2,499 residents, fellows and medical students each year. Its 2024 research activity included $81M in total research funding, 395 funded research projects, 305 clinical trials and 594 publications. Nemours also reported $199.2M in 2024 total community benefit.
Nemours works with schools, public agencies, health systems, foundations, corporations and community organizations. Named partners in official sources include USDA MyPlate, 4Roots Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Colonial, Christina and Seaford School Districts, Delaware Health Information Network, Blessings in a Backpack, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, Pass It On To Kids Foundation, Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Demetree Family Foundation, TidalHealth, Beebe Healthcare, Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
Nemours describes its strategy as “Whole Child Health,” connecting clinical care with broader factors that affect children’s well-being, including nutrition, education, mental health, family stability and access to services. The organization is governed by an Executive Cabinet, Board of Directors and regional Boards of Managers in Florida and Delaware. In 2024, Nemours reported $199.2M in total community benefit. Its donor-impact reporting also states that Nemours raised $34.3M from 14,546 donors, established 9 new endowments, and received donor support from all 50 U.S. states and 9 countries. The organization also reports national recognition across pediatric specialties, health care quality, nursing excellence and simulation-based education.