Community Benefit Initiative Grant

The Health Project Advisory Board is requesting proposals for the FY21 Community Benefit Board Initiative Grants. The Community Benefit Board Initiative Grants are awarded yearly to organizations for programs that address ranked issues in the 2019 Trinity Health Community Health Needs Assessment. This grant is open to all nonprofits in Trinity Health Michigan's service area of Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo Counties.

As with all such programs, we expect the demand for these funds to exceed availability. For this reason, we have developed specific guidelines for funding that are intended to ensure that each request is judged fairly and that all applicants adhere to the intent of the program.

Funding Structure

Principal grant awards will be $25,000. The Health Project Board may award grants of $10,000 or less if funding is available after Principal grants are approved.

All applicants are required to submit a Letter of Intent located within the application form provided to be considered for funding.

General Grant Criteria

All programs must address an area of need identified in our current Community Health Needs Assessment "Implementation Strategy."

• Quarterly reporting will be required.
• May be used for health-related community events or initiatives.
• Funds will be paid out 50% at the beginning of the grant July 2020, with the remaining 50% at the half way mark in January 2021, based on the first two quarters' progress.
• Applicants that are selected for funding and fail to return a signed grant contract by June 12, 2020 forfeit their grant award.

Continuation Funding

• Limit of three years.
• The program must be based on evidence of expanded services or geographic area being served.
• The program must provide evidence that additional support being sought and include a plan for sustaining the program in subsequent years.
• Show history of organizational capacity and accountability, specifically reliable reporting, documented outcomes and fiscal responsibility.

Grant Application Guidelines

• Requests must be consistent with the mission and core values of Mercy Health Muskegon.
• Funding will target a health or human service need in the community identified in the current Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), "Implementation Strategy (PDF, 287KB)."
• Organizations must demonstrate management capacity and other evidence of accountability.
• Programs must have clear goals, quantified objectives, performance outcomes, and corresponding measures to track outcomes.
• Programs must list strategies and activities that are designed to achieve the listed objectives.
• Implementation timelines must be realistic.
• The program should have a clearly defined evaluation process.
• Applications should highlight existing and/or potential collaborations with community partners, especially those partners who will be providing material support to the program.
• The application must contain a detailed budget and budget narrative.
• Quarterly progress reporting and a final report are required.
• Letters of Intent and Applications must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents/Excel files or PDF's, attached to an email; Google Docs will not be accepted.

Timeline

• March 13, 2020 by 5 p.m.
  • Required Letter of Intent due. Email to healthprojectgrants@mercyhealth.com. Confirmation of receipt will be provided.
• April 13, 2020 by 5 p.m.
  • Applications due. All application materials must be submitted via email to healthprojectgrants@mercyhealth.com. Applications must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents or PDF's attached to an email, Google Docs will not be accepted. Direct questions and submit completed application to healthprojectgrants@mercyhealth.com.
• June 1, 2020
  • Award Letters Mailed
• June 15, 2020
  • Signed Contracts Due to the Health Project Office
• July 2020 
   
  • Checks Sent Out

Community Benefit Initiative Program Documents