May 28, 2026
University of Washington Launches Affordable Employee Wellness Program for Small Businesses and Nonprofits
Seattle, WA — May 20,2026
The University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (UW HPRC) has launched Connect to Wellness™, an affordable, low-time employee wellness program built specifically for small businesses and nonprofits. With healthcare costs and burnout on the rise, many smaller organizations struggle to find wellness options that fit their budgets and workloads. Connect to Wellness was created to change that, shaped by feedback from thousands of employers and employees to make sure it’s practical, relevant and easy to roll out.
“Small employers are the backbone of our economy, but they’re often underserved when it comes to employee wellness resources,” said Dr. Peggy Hannon, who has spent two decades working with small businesses and nonprofits. “We created Connect to Wellness to give smaller teams the evidence-based tools they need to support healthier, happier employees—without a high price tag.”
Connect to Wellness includes:
- Tailored wellness support with 1:1 consulting
- Mental health, stress reduction, and physical activity resources
- Ready to use communications and simple program management tools
- Recognition for all Connect to Wellness participants
Unlike many wellness programs that are expensive or complicated to manage, Connect to Wellness offers an easy, affordable way for small businesses and nonprofits to support their employees’ health and wellbeing. It’s backed by research and built to be simple, practical, and budget-friendly.
Early users of the program say they’re seeing better employee engagement, higher morale, and a stronger workplace culture. Current user St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle-King County said this of the program: “Connect to Wellness is enabling us to achieve our goal of supporting our employees’ health and wellbeing via proven methods. Now, we’re able to do so in partnership with our own consultant to ensure we get it right.”
The program is now open for enrollment. Small businesses and nonprofits interested in learning more can visit connecttowellness.org.
About UW HPRC
UW HPRC is a leader in developing programs that support small businesses and nonprofits and their employees.
Media Contact:
Kristen Hammerback, Research Scientist
University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center
206-235-1882