Deadline: 20-Jan-21
Sisters Health Foundation is seeking applications for Responsive Grants Program.
Sisters Health Foundation supports efforts that promote and address healthy eating, active living; thriving neighborhoods; and mental health and addiction in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Established in 1996, the Sisters Health Foundation continues and expands the health ministry of the Congregation of St. Joseph.
Sisters Health Foundation’s Responsive Grants Program is a competitive grants program in which applicants can apply for project, capacity building, equipment or technology, small capital projects, or general operating support in support of the organization’s mission.
The Responsive Grants Program is a two-stage process which consists of submitting a letter of inquiry and, if invited, submitting a full application.
Eligibility Criteria
- An applicant must be a tax-exempt nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution.
- The project will positively impact residents in one or more counties of their service area:
- West Virginia: Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, Wood
- Ohio: Athens, Meigs, Washington
- The project will positively impact residents in one or more counties of their service area:
Ineligibility Criteria
Grants cannot be made to:
- Endowment funds
- Individuals
- Organizations seeking retroactive funding for projects that have been complete or will be complete prior to the grant decision date
- Organizations that engage in proselytizing as part of their mission or programs
Process Overview
- Applicants submit a Letter of Inquiry through the online application system in accord with the directions by the stated deadline. E-mailed or hard copy Letters of Inquiry will not be accepted. The purpose of the Letter of Inquiry is to enable any eligible agency or organization to present a project or idea to the Sisters Health Foundation staff for an initial review.
- Staff reviews the online Letters of Inquiry; for those organizations meeting initial criteria, staff will conduct a meeting/site visit to determine if a project is ready to go forward with a full application.
- Using the online application system, applicants submit completed grant applications and supporting documents (as requested) by the deadline.
- The Grants Committee reviews each application and develops a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors.
- The Board reviews the recommendations and determines applications to be funded.
- Staff notifies each applicant in May (spring cycle) or November (fall cycle) of the Board decision. This is approximately 19 weeks after the deadline for the initial letter of inquiry.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications are evaluated using the following six criteria:
- Mission Fit – The proposal presents a well-documented statement of a genuine and pressing need that fits into the priorities of the Sisters Health Foundation.
- Project Quality – The project makes sense, showing an understanding of the issues with goals and objectives that are realistic and understandable.
- Project Implementation – The implementation plan makes sense, detailing the steps, resources, and time required to execute the project.
- Budget – The budget is reasonable, matching the program and activities described.
- Organizational Capacity – The organization or collaborative partners are capable of implementing and sustaining the program with adequate funding/staff/organizational commitment and community support.
- Measurable Outcomes – The proposal discusses outcomes and how they would be measured and the project sustained beyond the grant period.
For more information, visit https://sistershealthfdn.org/grant-programs/apply-to-responsive-grants-program/