Community Health Fund – Community Foundation of San Joaquin

Community Health Fund is currently closed for 2020. Please check back in Spring of 2021.

Program Overview

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN JOAQUIN is pleased to invite eligible organizations to submit letters of interest for grant funding from the Community Health Fund. Grants are available to fund programs and activities that serve people living in San Joaquin or Calaveras County, and directly align with the Community Health Fund’s 2020 area of interest: promoting health outcomes.

WHAT QUALIFIES AS PROMOTING HEALTH OUTCOMES
The Community Health Fund has defined promoting health outcomes as programs or activities focused on improving healthy lifestyle opportunities and healthy behaviors that reduce the risk for developing disabling or life-threatening diseases and improve one’s everyday quality of life.

Letters of interest for the Community Health Fund’s 2020 grant cycle should include health programs or activities that improve individuals’ and families’ abilities to make healthy choices and lead healthy lifestyles. This includes both physical, mental, and/or emotional health. The intended outcome of the work should facilitate the adoption of healthy behaviors in the short-term and lead to positive changes in physical, mental, and/or emotional health in the long-term.

Program characteristics should include more than one of the following:

Prevention and early intervention efforts targeting obesity
Healthy eating, including increasing access to healthy foods and fresh produce
Active living, including increasing access to safe places for physical activity
Improving mental health, which includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being

COVID-19 RELATED PROGRAMS
Public health emergencies affect the health, safety, and well-being of both individuals and communities. The Community Health Fund will consider programs and activities that promote health outcomes that are associated with COVID-19 efforts.

FUNDING FOR 2020
The Community Foundation of San Joaquin has committed a total of $150,000 for this grants program in 2020. The maximum grant amount an applicant may request under this program is $40,000, although applicants may request less than the maximum amount.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Those organizations receiving grant awards will be required to submit progress and final reports, as well as a financial report.

Eligibility Criteria

The Community Foundation of San Joaquin will accept letters of interest from the following organizations:

Nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, classified as a public charity, not as a “private foundation” under section for 509(a), and are designated a 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) organization; and
Local public education agencies such as K-12 public school districts, community colleges, and public universities.

Organizations must be located in San Joaquin or Calaveras County. Proposed projects or activities must directly benefit people living in San Joaquin or Calaveras County.

Submission Deadline

In order to be considered for grant funding, letters of interest must be submitted online via this online grants portal by May 22, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time). Submissions will not be accepted after this deadline.

Selection Criteria

The Community Foundation of San Joaquin will accept letters of interest from eligible organizations that propose programs or activities that directly align with the Community Health Fund’s 2020 grant making focus on promoting healthy outcomes. Within this area, preference in the application review process will be given to funding programs or activities that demonstrate a commitment to:

SUSTAINABILITY

Having a lasting and measurable impact

INNOVATION

Innovative modes/models of delivering services

TARGET POPULATIONS

Serving underrepresented populations, including minorities, low-income individuals, and/or residents of rural areas

MATCHING FUNDING

Leveraging matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis, through either cash or in-kind contributions, or a combination thereof

PARTNERSHIPS

Working with other nonprofit organizations/local public agencies in the community to increase strategic impact

Selection Process

Letter of Interest – The submission of a letter of interest is the initial step in seeking grant funding. The Foundation’s Grants Committee will review qualifying letters of interest and determine whether a full grant proposal will be requested, or if the letter of interest will be denied.

Full Grant Proposals – Grant proposals will be evaluated by the Grants Committee. Grant funding awards will be made by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Decisions made by the Board of Directors are final.

Submission Review Timeline

Below are the approximate review dates for submissions. Applicants will be contacted directly upon completion of the various stages of review. The Foundation will contact applicants by email.

Approximate Letter of Interest Review – Letters of interest will be reviewed and a determination made by June, 2020.
Approximate Grant Proposal Review – Those applicants invited to submit full grant proposals can expect a determination by August, 2020.
Approximate Date Funds Available – Grant funding will be made available by October, 2020.

REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Requests for technical assistance with submitting your letter of interest through our onlinem grants portal, including any questions about the grants program, must be submitted in writing by e-mail to lponick@cfosj.org with the subject line CHF Grant Help.

About Community Health Fund

The Community Health Fund was established in 2017 by the Community Foundation of San Joaquin, through a generous gift from the DBB (Delta Blood Bank) Foundation.