Department of Public Health Secures $90,000 Gift from EPIC Charitable Fund for Vulnerable Populations

The San Francisco County government meeting on July 4, 2025, focused on a significant resolution to accept a $90,000 monetary gift from the EPIC Charitable Fund. This funding aims to support low-income and at-risk populations through the Department of Public Health (DPH) for the period from March 27, 2021, to March 27, 2022.

Eric Raffin, the Chief Information Officer from DPH, presented the resolution, explaining that the gift honors EPIC customers who operate safety net healthcare organizations. The EPIC Charitable Fund, which provides electronic health record services, distributes these donations to various organizations that utilize their system. Raffin clarified that the DPH did not apply for this gift; rather, it was an unexpected donation that was confirmed only after the funds were transferred to the city.

The discussion highlighted the retroactive nature of the resolution, as the DPH was unaware of the funds' arrival until March 2021. This lack of communication from Fidelity, the fund's distributor, delayed the formal acknowledgment of the gift. The funds will be allocated to non-personnel expenses related to the growth of DPH's IT infrastructure.

During the meeting, supervisors inquired about the relationship between this gift and the existing contract with EPIC, which spans ten years and totals approximately $383 million. Raffin noted that this gift is independent of the contract and that the DPH had received a similar gift of $105,000 the previous year.

After a brief public comment period with no callers, the committee moved to recommend the resolution to the full board, which was approved unanimously. This funding is expected to enhance the DPH's capacity to serve vulnerable populations in San Francisco.