New Trailhead Community Health Foundation to support Greater Akron after Summa sale

The foundation was established following the $485 million sale of nonprofit Summa Health System to a for-profit entity in 2025.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Trailhead Community Health Foundation of Greater Akron was established to promote healthcare, access and research in its five-county service area, which consists of Summit, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne counties. The foundation was created after the $485 million sale of the nonprofit Summa Health System to a for-profit entity in 2025, with a portion of the sale proceeds used to fund the new foundation.

Why it matters

The creation of the Trailhead Community Health Foundation is a significant development for the Greater Akron region, as it aims to continue the mission and purpose of the former Summa Health System by advancing healthcare, promoting access to care, and supporting medical research in the community. This is especially important given the shift of Summa Health to a for-profit entity, as the foundation will play a role in monitoring and enforcing agreements to ensure continued community health services.

The details

The Trailhead Community Health Foundation is an independent grantmaking and fundraising organization that is completely separate from the for-profit Summa Health System. The foundation has absorbed the funds that were previously part of the Summa Foundation, and initial grants are expected by late 2026 or early 2027. The foundation's board includes several former Summa staff members and affiliates, and it is in the process of finalizing its governance model, recruiting staff, developing strategic plans, and finding a location in Akron.

  • The sale of Summa Health System to a for-profit entity occurred in 2025.
  • The Trailhead Community Health Foundation was established following the sale in 2025.
  • Initial grants from the foundation are expected by late 2026 or early 2027.

The players

Trailhead Community Health Foundation

A new, independent grantmaking and fundraising organization established to promote healthcare, access and research in the Greater Akron region following the sale of Summa Health System to a for-profit entity.

Summa Health System

A former nonprofit healthcare system in the Greater Akron region that was sold to a for-profit entity in 2025.

Dave Yost

The Ohio Attorney General who stipulated that a new, nonprofit health foundation be created through a portion of the sale proceeds to support community health.

Marty Hauser

The Board Chair of the Trailhead Community Health Foundation.

Tracy Carter

The President and CEO of the Trailhead Community Health Foundation, an Akron native with over three decades of healthcare experience.

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What they’re saying

“When the transaction was first envisioned and then ultimately approved, the Attorney General and everybody agreed that the Trailhead Foundation had to exist to support the original mission and purpose of Summa Health System, which is without limitation, to promote the health of the greater Akron community by advancing health care, promoting access to health care and or supporting medical and scientific research.”

— Marty Hauser, Board Chair, Trailhead Community Health Foundation (cleveland.com)

“Our vision statement says that we're going to be a model community for transformational advancement. Transformational is increasingly important as we talk with entities in the five-county area because we don't want to just be another, what I would call transactional foundation, where people write a grant request, they come to us, we review grant requests and make transactional grants. We want to collaborate with other foundations in our region and collaborate with all the organizations that are providing healthcare and healthcare services to really create something that's different and transformational.”

— Marty Hauser, Board Chair, Trailhead Community Health Foundation (cleveland.com)

“We have a big, bold vision and mission and commitment around community health and wellness, and I'm working to recruit the right talent, right skill sets to lead this organization. We have a search underway right now for a chief development officer who will be in charge of our fundraising strategy, programs and services.”

— Tracy Carter, President and CEO, Trailhead Community Health Foundation (cleveland.com)

What’s next

The foundation is working to secure a lease for a building in downtown Akron and is planning to move forward with operations by the fourth quarter of 2026. It is also finalizing a formal strategic planning process to narrow the focus areas in which it will fundraise and make grants.

The takeaway

The creation of the Trailhead Community Health Foundation represents a significant effort to maintain and build upon the community-focused mission of the former Summa Health System, even as the system has transitioned to a for-profit entity. The foundation's focus on transformational, collaborative approaches to advancing healthcare, access, and research in the Greater Akron region could have a lasting impact on the health and wellness of the community.