Responsive Grants
Our Level II grants applicaltion is now open. Please read the following for more information about this funding cycle.
Our Approach
The Horizon Foundation’s strategic plan guides its grantmaking approach and its responsive grantmaking funding criteria. Although Howard County residents are generally healthier than the rest of the state, the county still faces major health challenges. Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes cause more than half of the deaths in our county and obesity is a root cause of many of these diseases. Obesity is the biggest public health crisis in our county and working collectively we can help our residents, particularly children, achieve and maintain a healthy weight. In addition, the Foundation is supporting grants to improve access to quality affordable health care, particularly primary and preventive services in the county.
The Foundation is seeking Requests for Proposals (RFP) from non-profit and public entities for its Level II Grant Funding Cycle. All proposals must be submitted via an online process. Learn more on our website. The deadline to submit a proposal is April 26, 2013. Proposals will be reviewed and applicants will be notified of funding decisions the week of May 20, 2013.
The Foundation will consider requests of $10,000 - $40,000 and will fund a total of $200,000. The Foundation expects to award a total of four to six grants averaging $35,000. However, funding amounts and the number of awards may vary depending on the quality of the applications received.
Consistent with our strategic plan, the Foundation is interested in funding focused proposals and projects aimed at improving health and wellness in Howard County including:
- Promoting positive lifestyles by improving healthful eating, drinking, and physical activity and especially by reducing the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages by Howard County children and their families;
- Increasing access to high quality affordable health insurance; access to prevention and primary care services; and access to culturally competent and appropriate services especially for residents with limited English proficiency; and,
- Funding for seed/innovation projects that improve the health and wellness of those living or working in the county.
The Foundation recognizes that although it wants to fund proposals focused on its strategic priority areas listed above, it could “miss” opportunities to hear from the community about emerging needs and/or innovations in health and wellness that could benefit from “seed” funding to test proof of concept to the community. Therefore, the Foundation will accept proposals outside of its strategic plan priority areas above as long as the proposal can demonstrate a significant need in the county and/or describe a significant innovation that improves the health and wellness of those living or working in Howard County.
Eligibility Criteria
- Proposals will be accepted from agencies that directly benefit people who live or work in Howard County so we can create a healthier community.
- Organizations must be: (a) tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)4; (b) public entities; or, (c) operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a tax-exempt nonprofit.
- Proposals should demonstrate a direct link to the priority areas listed above and/or focus on a significant health and wellness or innovation concept/issue in the county.
- Proposals should clearly outline project goals, interventions, and measures to track progress.
Guidelines
Projects may include organizational sustainability improvement, pilot or innovation programs, capacity building, program development, planning grants, or strategic collaboration. At present, the Foundation does not support capital campaigns, endowments, individuals, or bricks and mortar projects.
Projects should be planned for a specific timeframe (e.g., one year, eighteen months, etc.). Multi-year grants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If submitting a multi-year grant, detailed line-item budgets for the entire multi-year grant period must be submitted. The budget should present each year of the project separately.
The Foundation is most interested in supporting organizations that provide evidence of collaboration to leverage resources and creative problem solving. Nonprofits that are part of a collaborative effort funded by the Foundation may also seek funding for their individual projects.
The Foundation places a high priority on organizations that are able to clearly articulate organizational goals, present a clear plan for achieving results, and track outcomes related to the people and communities served.
Timeline
Requests for full proposals | March 20, 2013 |
Full Proposals due | April 26, 2013 |
Grant Award Notification | Week of May 20, 2013 |
Should you have any questions about the Level II grants, please contact Rosimar Meléndez, Senior Program Office, at the Foundation office (410-715-0311).
The following table summarizes our entire grantmaking process:
|
Grant
Cycles |
Level
I |
Level
II |
Level
III |
|
Funding
Levels |
$5,000
or less |
$10,000
- $40,000 |
$50,000
- $150,000 |
|
Grant
Period |
1-year
grants |
1-year
grants |
Multi-year grants (can be up to 3
years) |
|
Funding
Emphasis |
Building
nonprofit
capacity |
Innovation and new
models |
Targeted Letters
of Intent (LOI) & Request for Proposals
(RFP) |
|
Timeline |
Recurring
grant |
Release RFP – March 18, 2013
RFP Closes – April 26,
2013 Board Approval – May 16,
2013 Funding – June
2013 |
Release LOI –
Summer 2013
RFP – By
invitation only
Reverse Site
Visits -
Required
Funding -
November 2013 |
|
How
to Apply |
Online
application during call for letters of
intent |
||
|
Priority
Areas |
Funds will
support engagement of qualified outside
consultants and expertise in the
areas of: 1. Grant Writing 2. Program Design & Evaluation 3.
Fund Development &
Sustainability 4.
Board Development &
Executive Coaching
5.
Conference Attendance
& Workshops 6.
Strategic Planning
|
Funds will support health and
wellness projects in the areas
of: 1.
Promoting positive
lifestyles by improving healthful
eating, drinking, and physical activity and
especially by reducing the
consumption of sugar sweetened beverages by
Howard County children and their
families. 2.
Increasing access to
high quality affordable health
insurance; access to prevention/primary care;
and access to culturally
competent and appropriate services.
3.
Funding for
seed/innovation projects that improve the
health and wellness of those living and
working in the county.
|
Targeted RFP’s which are
directly
aligned to the Foundation’s strategic
priorities or Challenge Grants in the
areas of:
1.
Promoting Healthy
Lifestyles 2.
Increasing Access
to Health Care
|