In 2006, the Bush Foundation engaged Gayle Peterson and John Sherman of The Headwaters Group to evaluate the ecological health program in order to understand the program’s impact and identify options to help focus future efforts.  Headwaters produced a report, Ecological Health: Assessing Learning, Leadership and Impact, based on field scans, file reviews, nonprofit assessments, surveys and interviews with Foundation Board and staff members, grantees, other foundations and national experts.

The Headwaters Group developed a second report in 2007, Opportunities for Leadership, Learning and Impact in Ecological Health and Sustainable Communities, to help the Foundation further narrow its grantmaking as it completed its strategic planning efforts. While the Board chose not to pursue any further ecological health grants, Headwaters identified three target program areas under the umbrella of “creating sustainable communities:”

1. Create a sustainable regional food system
2. Promote innovations in alternative energy
3. Protect vulnerable youth by reducing exposure to toxins