GRANT GUIDANCE FOR 2023

In 2023, Episcopal Health Foundation continues work aligned with our strategic plan, which you are encouraged to read before applying for a grant. Also, read EHF’s general grant guidelines and information about eligibility, what EHF funds, what we do not fund, and much more.

EHF’s Grant Guidance for 2023 expresses our core beliefs and explains the commitment of our philanthropic giving to outcomes-focused approaches to improve health, not just health care in Texas. Funding opportunities will continue in support of our current goals, outcomes and strategies. EHF will also provide funding support for grantees interested in developing capacity and competency related to health equity.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Learn more about how to apply for a grant using EHF’s online grant portal and see the complete Online Grant Application Training guide

Funding Cycles / Goals

1. Strengthen
Systems of Health

Strengthen Systems of Health by catalyzing health systems to be accessible, equitable and deliver health, not just healthcare

LOI Opens: 12/27/2022
LOI Due:
01/27/2023
Application Due: 03/14/2023
Board Decision: 05/18/2023

2. Activate Communities

Activate Communities by strengthening organizations and congregations to build health-promoting communities

LOI Opens: 4/03/2023
LOI Due:
05/02/2023
Application Due: 06/26/2023
Board Decision: 09/14/2023

3. Build the Foundation for a Healthy Life

Build the Foundation For a Healthy Life by investing in early childhood brain development


LOI Opens:
06/20/2023
LOI Due:
07/20/2023
Application Due: 09/05/2023
Board Decision: 12/14/2023

EHF’s GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS – HOW TO APPLY

EHF has a multi-step grant application process.

When considering applying for a grant from EHF,  first read our Strategic Plan and 2023 Grant Guidance to ensure your proposed work aligns with our goals and strategies.  Also, read EHF’s general grant guidelines and information about eligibility, what EHF funds, what we do not fund, and more.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Episcopal Health Foundation uses the Fluxx online platform to manage our grantmaking process. To get started, you must register for a new account or log in to your existing account in EHF’s grant portal – https://ehf.fluxx.io.

First-time applicants first need to create an account and determine eligibility. (Click to see detailed instructions)

Returning grantees, use your existing login and then reset your password. (Click to see detailed instructions)

At EHF, it’s important to us that we keep your information safe and our grants system secure. To add another layer of protection, we have introduced multi-factor authentication (MFA).

When you log into EHF’s grant portal, you’ll be required to enter a MFA (multi-factor authentication) token/code that will be received via text or generated on a mobile authentication application, after entering your username and password.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. On your computer, go to EHF’s grant portal. Enter your name and password, then click “Next”.
  2. Once logged in, a new MFA screen will appear. Select “SMS” and enter your mobile phone number. Then click “Send SMS”.
  3. You’ll then receive a text message with the MFA token/code.
  4. Enter the token/code in the MFA screen and click “Log In”.
  5. Every time you login to EHF’s grant portal, the system will automatically send the MFA token/code by text.
  6. Given our multi-factor authentication policy for all grant portal users, it is not recommended users share login information. When creating an LOI, the user can assign the following roles to themselves or another collaborator: Application Contact, Secondary Application Contact, Report Contact, and Payment Contact. If a potential grantee expects more than one individual to complete the LOI, they must assign their collaborator(s) one of the roles. Returning users must use their existing credentials and access their LOI or application via the left-aligned navigation panel.

EHF’s grant application process begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The LOI helps EHF determine whether your organization and project are aligned with our strategies and eligible for grant consideration.  Your LOI must be received by noon CST on the date shown in Submission Deadlines.

If you see alignment with your work across multiple goals/strategies and wish to discuss your ideas with a program officer, please send an email to: [email protected] and include a short description of your proposed work. We will respond within three business days.

Click here to learn more about the LOI process and submit LOI


[Tip:  Check your Grantee Portal for communications from the Foundation concerning your current submission.  All submitted LOIs and applications are saved in the portal] 

Program staff carefully reviews the LOI to ensure the proposed work aligns with our goals and strategies.  If the program staff needs additional information or has suggestions, they will send the LOI back to you with comments to update.  You will receive an alert when the LOI is sent back.  Go to your Grantee Portal, open the ‘sent back’ LOI, make the changes and re-submit it as soon as possible. 

If invited to submit a full application, your program officer will work with your organization to refine the LOI request to ensure alignment with the correct Goal and Strategy and Type of Project.    

If your LOI is not selected, you will be notified via email.  All LOI submissions are stored in your grantee portal. 

[Tip:  Check into your Grantee Portal to access, complete, edit, and submit applications.  All LOIs and Applications are saved in the portal]

If your LOI is approved, you will receive an email invitation to complete a full application.  The application requires a narrative explanation of the proposed work, a description of the project and plan, and results statement(s) and corresponding measures.

Because the demand for foundation support consistently exceeds available grant dollars, an invitation to apply does not guarantee a grant will be awarded.

You will receive an email confirmation that EHF has received your submission. In many instances, a program officer will contact you to discuss your proposed project.

[Tip: Check your Grantee Portal for communications from your Program Officer concerning your application]

Our program team will discuss the proposed work and its alignment with our strategies. If the team has questions or needs additional information, your program officer will contact you and may send the application back for revisions.  Promptly update the application and re-submit. 

Board decisions are made approximately 13 weeks after the published application submission deadline. (See Submission Deadlines above)

STEP 6: AWARDS AND DECLINATIONS

[Tip: Award documentation, including executed grant agreements and payment schedules are found in your Grantee Portal] 

If your proposal is successful and your organization receives a grant, you will get an email notification from EHF, followed by the award letter and grant agreement via DocuSign.  Your grant payment will not be processed until EHF receives back the fully-executed grant agreement.

EHF processes all grant payments through an electronic funds transfer (EFT) process. If you are awarded a grant, you will receive instructions to submit your EFT information via DocuSign.

[Tip: Go to your Grantee Portal to access report forms, view your reporting schedule, review previous reports, and submit new reports.]

As stated in EHF’s Grant Agreement, grantees must submit interim progress reports every six months and a final learning report at the end of the project.  The interim and final reports are submitted through your Grantee Portal no later than 30 days after the end of each six months. Check your Portal for reporting requirements and their due dates.  Report criteria include the result statement(s), approved project plan/deliverables, and the selected anticipated measures provided from your application.

If you need technical assistance with your LOI or application, please email [email protected].

GENERAL GRANT GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION

EHF makes grants to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations whose work relates directly to EHF’s vision, goals and strategies. To be eligible, an organization must have received an Internal Revenue Service Determination Letter indicating that it is an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) or 170(c) and is not a private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code.

All grants funded by EHF must be implemented within the 57-county service area of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

What EHF does not fund:

  • Grants to individuals
  • Grants for school-based intervention except for school-based clinics providing comprehensive primary care
  • Grants for capital projects except by invitation from EHF
  • Grants for scholarships
  • Grants for religious purposes
  • Grants to public agencies for routine service provision
  • Grants to retire operating deficits or debt
  • Grants for parks, playgrounds, or camps
  • Grants to provide services restricted to individuals living in a specific residential facility
  • Grants for acute care, inpatient care or long-term care institutions
  • Grants for emergency assistance organizations for routine service provision
  • Grants for biomedical research
  • Grants for child care, early education or after-school programs for routine service provision
  • Grants to schools for core educational purposes
  • Grants for disease- or condition-specific organizations for program, research or advocacy work
  • Grants to underwrite conferences, luncheons, galas or fundraisers, or special events such as health fairs
  • Direct or indirect support for candidates, political parties, 501(c)(4) organizations or Political Action Committees

EHF funds can be used for technical assistance, planning, demonstration projects, matching funds (as long as the purpose of the match aligns with EHF’s goals and strategies), program evaluation, and general operating. All grants funded by EHF must be implemented within the 57-county service area of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

Tax Exempt Status
EHF makes grants to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations whose work relates directly to EHF’s vision, goals and strategies. To be eligible, an organization must have received an Internal Revenue Service Determination Letter indicating that it is an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) or 170(c) and is not a private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code.

Foundation Service Area
EHF provides grants to organizations that serve vulnerable populations within the 57-county service area of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

Religious Affiliation
While EHF exists as a supporting organization of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, we do not require an applicant’s affiliation with the Episcopal Church or any other faith community in-order-to be considered for funding.

Anti-discrimination
EHF is committed to providing an environment free of discrimination where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, can contribute fully and have equal opportunities. EHF does not support discrimination by our affiliates based on any of the grounds mentioned below. Any acts or practices deemed to be discriminatory are grounds for refusal to partner with potential affiliates or termination of pre-existing relationships.

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Citizenship
  • Disability (including mental, physical, developmental or learning disabilities)
  • Employment status
  • Gender (including pregnancy and breastfeeding)
  • Gender expression
  • Gender identity
  • Marital status (including married, single, widowed, divorced, separated or living in a conjugal relationship outside of marriage, whether in a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship)
  • National or ethnic origin
  • Race
  • Religion
  • Sexual orientation
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Association or relationship with a person identified by one of the above grounds.

Comprehensive women’s health services
The Foundation highly values the provision of comprehensive preventive services for women of all ages. According to the Institute of Medicine, women in particular stand to benefit from additional preventive health services including medications, procedures, devices, tests, education and counseling shown to improve well-being, and/or decrease the likelihood or delay the onset of a targeted disease or condition. This includes among other things, a full range of contraceptive education, counseling, methods and services so that women can better avoid unwanted pregnancies and space their pregnancies to promote optimal birth outcomes. The public health benefits of contraception are well-documented in the literature and the CDC identifies family planning as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

Childhood immunizations
In May 1992, responding to a recent resurgence of measles, the U.S. Public Health Service and a diverse group of medical and public health experts established the Standards for Pediatric Immunization Practices. http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/standar.html

These Standards, which were approved by the U.S. Public Health Service and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, represent the most desirable practices for all healthcare providers and immunization programs. These standards support that immunizations should be given as part of comprehensive child healthcare. Consistent with these standards, the Foundation expects primary care clinics serving children to incorporate these standards as part of their comprehensive primary care and pediatric services.

Patient fees
The Foundation believes that all clinics, including those serving low-income, uninsured and vulnerable populations, should look to a variety of revenue streams to support their work. Patient fees, priced on a sliding scale and waived when appropriate, are an important part of the revenue mix for several reasons. First, they provide a source of revenue, even if modest, that can make a difference in a tight budget. Healthcare delivery has substantial costs, and patients know or should know that and should contribute when they can. Additionally, patients value what they pay for and feel more dignity when they contribute to the cost of their care than when they receive care in the form of charity. High-quality care is less likely to be achievable and sustainable if it relies entirely on philanthropy (in the form of dollars and/or staff).

EHF provides eligible applicants with the following types of competitive investments:

  • Restricted grants support specific activities carried out over a defined period and/or are planned in-order-to achieve a specific result or goal
  • Unrestricted grants support an organization’s day-to-day expenses in furtherance of its mission rather than specific projects or programs; may also include support to build organizational infrastructure

EHF also provides funding solicited by invitation only that include:

  • Small grants to provide up to $10,000 in support of the immediate short-term needs of an organization to address a specific organizational development or emergency issue
  • Request for Proposals when issued by the EHF to support specific initiatives of interest to the Foundation.

We will consider grants for capital support on a limited basis after consultation and by invitation only.

Grant Application Review and Assignment of Program Officer
Once your application has been received, it will be assigned to a program officer for review. The program officer will contact you to conduct due diligence which may include a site visit.

Grant Decisions and Notification of Award
All applicants will be notified via email within 10 working days of stated Board meetings about the final actions taken by the Board of Directors.

Organizations receiving awards will be sent a grant contract via DocuSign, EHF’s electronic signature application.  Upon receipt of the signed contract, EHF will process payment of the grant.

EHF requires all grantees to receive their grant payments through an electronic funds transfer (EFT) process.  You will receive and complete the required EFT form also via DocuSign.

Post Award
Keep in touch with your program officer. Let her/him know of any significant changes in your organization and/or programming.

If you receive a grant you must provide EHF with interim and final reports including progress made towards contractual outcomes and expenditure of grant funds to date. Dates for these and other required reports will be clearly stated in the grant contract. Subsequent applications from an organization will be considered only if reporting is up-to-date. Questions about reporting requirements should be directed to our grant manager, Ruben Lanting, at [email protected].

All inquiries by applicants or potential applicants regarding grant requests, awards/denials, and availability of funds should be directed to EHF’s grantmaking department at [email protected] or (713) 225-0900.

As per Board-approved EHF policy, applicants should not direct questions or letters of support to or attempt to obtain support from EHF Board members.

EHF values learning and evaluation for all stakeholders on the pathway to community health transformation. We look forward to ongoing engagement with applicants and grantees on this topic in order to fully realize the potential of the work they are doing.

EHF’s Board of Directors has the responsibility for the final approval or declination of each grant. Since EHF receives funding requests that far exceed our grants budget each year, we cannot fund every worthy project. A decision not to fund a proposal does not reflect on the merits of the proposal or the applicant organization.