Our Approach: Amplifying the Impact of Our Partners
In 1998, after the suicide of her husband, Dr. Therese Chan turned her grief into strength. She founded Dance with Depression (DWD HK), a nonprofit Hong Kong that coordinates peer support groups for individuals living with depression. Dance with Depression in Utah carries forward the mission of DWD HK, which continues to inform our core values. However, it adopts a different approach than DWD HK: we provide matching funding and supportive services to organizations that align with our values and mission, rather than running programs directly. This way, we contribute to the cause while helping to honor and amplify the work of local deserving organizations.
Potential partners are welcome to submit a short introduction letter via our website describing their mission and past projects. We will reach out if there is an alignment to our mission.
Financial Support
We provide financial support primarily through matching grants. By committing to a defined donation amount, we help our partners unlock additional funding that might otherwise be unavailable.
All donations made to Dance with Depression (EIN 33-1570070) are designated for specific partner projects. Funds received, along with our matching contributions, are disbursed to partners based on project milestones.
We conduct due diligence and ongoing monitoring to ensure milestones are met before each disbursement. This approach benefits our partners by strengthening accountability and benefits donors by providing confidence that their contributions are being used effectively.
Hands-on Support
In addition to funding, we offer hands-on support to help partners achieve our joint project goals. This may include serving on boards of directors or volunteering expertise in areas such as governance, financial management, grant writing, and marketing. When additional capacity or specialized expertise is needed, we can connect partners with affordable consulting or staffing resources.
Staffing challenges—particularly during periods of growth or transition—are often among the most significant obstacles organizations face. We may assist by helping recruit staff, interns, or volunteers, and in some cases by stepping into interim leadership roles to provide stability.
Our goal is to ease operational transitions and strengthen organizational capacity, so our partners can remain focused on delivering impactful programs.