GNYHA Foundation was established in 1978 as the Greater New York Hospital Foundation, Inc. GNYHA Foundation is the not-for-profit 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA).

GNYHA Foundation was established to match the interests and needs of public and private grant funding organizations with special projects that are of interest to the region's not-for-profit and public hospitals, continuing care facilities, the patients they serve, and the broader health community. GNYHA Foundation has extensive experience in creating sustainable projects that are important to the health care community, and focuses on improving patient and health care provider experiences within the health system. GNYHA Foundation has accomplished this goal through collaborative arrangements with knowledgeable and accomplished experts who can assist in achieving the Foundation's objectives. Among the Foundation's strengths is its ability to manage grant funds in a manner that meets the programmatic needs of the project and the specific goals of grant-making organizations and individuals. Through its relationship with the Greater New York Hospital Association staff and the Association's members, GNYHA Foundation has been able to draw upon the expertise and guidance of the hospital and long term care community. It has developed special projects in a collaborative manner that benefits the entire region, and is not limited to individual institutions or individual groups of patients.

Among GNYHA Foundation's notable achievements has been the formation of collaboratives focused on improving the quality of patient care; and numerous training programs that have trained thousands of front-line staff from hospitals and continuing care facilities.