FAQs

Index By: FAQ Category

Funding Guidelines
General Questions
Grant Denial
Submission Questions

Funding Guidelines

Funding to Individuals and/or Scholarships

Per the Foundation's charter, funding to individuals or scholarships cannot be provided.
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The Process for the Review and Approval of Funding Requests

Once proposals are received for the SIP grants, they are reviewed by staff and then forwarded to the Grants Committee of the Board for their consideration. In July, the Board of Trustees reviews and approves the recommendations for grant awards. Notification of grant awards occurs in early August.

Horizon Foundation staff review proposals for the CHIP grants. The Grants Committee continues to evaluate applications through October. Recommendations are presented to the Board of Trustees for approval in November, with notification letters typically mailed by the end of November.

Once notified, the organization needs to return a signed letter of agreement for the terms of the grant. Once the signed letter is received, a check is forwarded to the grantee.

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Areas not Funded

As a rule, The Horizon Foundation does not fund ongoing organizational operating or salary costs, budget deficits or "bricks and mortar" capital projects.

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General Questions

Horizon's Definition of 'Health and Wellness'

The Foundation's philosophy and perspective is defined in the About Us section of this web site under Mission, Strategic Objectives and Goals.

The Foundation views health and wellness in broad terms. The definition includes physical health, mental health, wellness of the county's population and the quality of life within individual communities. Specific goals include:

Solidify and expand Howard County's health/wellness infrastructure;
Improve social and environmental conditions within the County;
Increase access to health and health-related human services and strengthen the integrity of the local safety net programs;
Address specific community health issues in a manner that enables the County to substantially exceed national and state-level health and wellness targets.

Appointments to Discuss Project Ideas

The Horizon Foundation does not generally discuss specific individual grant applications. However, it is possible to discuss general concepts with Foundation staff. You may also be added to the Foundation's mailing list to receive notification of grant opportunities by emailing your name and organization's mailing information to info@thehorizonfoundation.org.

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The Average Grant Award

The size of the award depends on the type of grant for which you apply. Funding for projects in the Strategic Initiatives Program average $35,000 while the Community Health Issues Program awards average $12,000. back to top

Award Notification

All applicants are notified by US Mail whether or not their proposal has been funded.

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Length of Grant Award

Community Health Issues grants are typically awarded for 12 months. Grantees seeking funding for a longer term are required to clearly demonstrate the need for increasing the time period. A Strategic Intiatives Program grant may exceed one year depending on the nature of the project.

The Beginning of the Grant Period

For Strategic Initiative Program grants, the period is defined in the letter of agreement. Community Health Issues Program grants typically run from January 1 through December 31, or one year.

Reporting Requirements

Reporting requirements vary based on the size and nature of the grant. Typically, awards of $100,000 or more require a quarterly written and budget report. Grants ranging between $50,000 - $100,000 require semi-annual reporting and grants below $50,000 require a final report upon completion of the grant only. All reporting and evaluation requirements are defined in the letter of agreement.

Grant Denial

Feedback Regarding a Denied Proposal

You may receive feedback regarding the proposal by contacting the Foundation office at 410-715-0311. Feedback is often provided in the denial letter.

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Re-submission

If you have submitted a request and have been denied, you may submit another grant application in the next grant cycle. Regardless of the number of denials, you may always submit an application provided you meet the requirements previously listed.

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Feedback Regarding a Denied Proposal

You may receive feedback regarding the proposal by contacting the Foundation office at 410-715-0311. Feedback is often provided in the denial letter.

Submission Questions

Eligibility Requirements for Submitting a Proposal

As required by charter, organizations that receive grants from The Horizon Foundation must serve Howard County, Maryland. Grantees do not need to be physically located in the County, but the services they provide or perform must benefit Howard County residents.

Grantees must also fulfill the following requirements:
1) The proposal must address health and wellness issues in Howard County, Maryland.
2) Organizations must be a 501 (c)(3), as designated by the IRS; OR
3) Be a public agency, such as a school, health department, police department, etc.
4) Proposals must submitted using the approved application.

Deadlines for Submission of Proposals

The Horizon Foundation operates on two responsive grant cycles; the Strategic Initiatives Program and Community Health Issues Program.

Strategic Initiatives Program (SIP) grants are based on priorities as determined by the Foundation. This is a two-step application process. In mid-January, the Foundation requests Letters of Intent from interested organizations seeking this type of grant. Letters of Intent for the current cycle are due by 4:30 PM on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Once the Letters of Intent have been reviewed, the Foundation will request a full proposal from selected organizations.

Proposals for Community Health Issues Program Responsive (CHIP) grants can focus on any health and wellness issue identified by an organization. A request for proposals will be made in mid-June.

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Attachments with the Application

The Horizon Foundation requires specific identified attachments when submitting an application. Any attachments that have not been requested are considered inappropriate as they may give an unfair advantage to one applicant over another. In any case, unsolicited materials will not be considered and may negatively reflect on the application overall.

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