Community Benefit Fund
Joe and Mary Wilson Community Benefit Fund of Mary Washington Hospital
and Stafford Hospital Community Benefit Fund
Announcement of a Second 2023 Cycle of Grants (April 1–December 31, 2023) to address Community Needs Assessment Identified Priorities
Concept Paper Guidelines & Application
Introduction
Mary Washington Hospital (MWH) and Stafford Hospital (SH) Foundations, through the Joe and Mary Wilson Community Benefit Fund of MWH and the SH Community Benefit Fund, are pleased to announce a Second 2023 Grant Cycle (April 1–December 31, 2023) for organizations sponsoring initiatives that address the priorities of the recently released Community Health Needs Assessment (CHA) and resulting Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). (Organizations that have already submitted grant requests for 2023 year should not submit grants for this special cycle unless they are requesting funding for a different program that they applied for in the first 2023 cycle.) The grants from this special cycle will be eligible for consideration of continuation funding for full-year funding on an annual basis beginning on January 1 of each subsequent year.
For the 2023–2025 period, we recently conducted our CHA (formerly CHNA) for the first time in partnership with the Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) which created great synergies and avoided duplication of efforts in our community. The CHA has identified local health needs with the feedback and active engagement of the residents of the community. A Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) has been developed from the assessment in conjunction with community stakeholders to address priority areas of focus for the next three years.
The top three priorities and areas of focus which have been identified in the CHIP for which grants may be awarded are as follows (in alphabetical order):
- Access to Healthcare (including enhanced collaboration among community partners, enhanced public transportation, improved access to behavioral health services for community members, and development of the local healthcare workforce.)
- Affordable Housing (including development and promotion of policies that ensure equitable housing opportunities for all, including the homeless, and the provision of affordable home ownership opportunities.)
- Mental Health (including improved access and collaboration for preventive services for all community members, and development of a comprehensive pipeline strategy to increase the local healthcare workforce.)
Initiated Grant Making
The MWH and SH Foundations collaborate, partner, or strategically align resources with others sharing Mary Washington Healthcare’s commitment to improving health and healthcare in the community. Periodically, the Foundations may initiate partner collaborations to engage the broader community and develop opportunities for investing in community initiatives, including those that may address an unexpected community need. For example, with the advent of the unexpected and unplanned pandemic, our Foundations awarded grants mid-cycle in 2020 to partnering nonprofit organizations for needs resulting from the pandemic.
By researching and designing programs shaped around specific interventions, the Foundations hope to “move the needle” in collaboration with appropriate partners. Initiated Grant Making would be announced by either Foundation, at any time, through special communications.
Application Submission Process for Responsive Grant Awards
A proposal should be well beyond the conceptual stage, and have a clear plan, timeline, and budget in advance of submitting an application. There should be defined benefits or outcomes and a description of whom in your community may be supporting the proposal. Community participation is a primary factor in a proposal being ready. We like to see that fundraising is significantly underway with your traditional supporters, local businesses, key donors, and other foundations.
The need for the program should be clearly documented using research that is applicable to the target population and geographic area being served. You should be able to communicate the need for the program based on thorough research as opposed to anecdotal evidence. To help you accomplish this, Mary Washington Healthcare has made available a web-based tool entitled “Community Health Information Resource” (CHIR). The CHIR tool has been created to assist community organizations in collecting relevant information on health issues and developing concrete actions to improve targeted areas of interest. The data provided by the tool is segmented by locality and is in real (current) time as it is updated as soon as the source for the information is available.
Your ability to link program objectives and outcome measures to indicators listed on the “Community Health Information Resource” webpage on the MWHC website may help you develop a stronger case for funding and will be considered during review of your proposal. An emphasis will be placed on funding organizations that offer relevant evidence-based practice strategies.
When possible, applicants are encouraged to form partnerships with other community organizations and entities of Mary Washington Healthcare, engaging others in the planning and implementation of proposed programs. In this way, existing resources are better utilized, information sharing is encouraged, and duplication of services is minimized.
Initial Application – The Concept Paper
All applicants are required to submit a signed online Concept Paper application highlighting the purpose and objectives of the program. Concept Papers must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on January 9, 2023. Papers received after the due date will not be considered.
Applicants must complete each section of the application fully, describing well-defined services and/or programs that are consistent with the mission of Mary Washington Hospital, Stafford Hospital, and the funding priorities of Mary Washington Healthcare. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Concept Papers will be processed upon receipt and all applicants will be notified of the final determination via electronic mail by 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2023.
Upon approval, organizations will be provided with further instructions for accessing the Grant Application. All agencies invited to submit an application must attend a mandatory grant application course which will be held virtually. Further instructions and dates will be shared with the agencies by January 13, 2023.
Agencies invited to apply for a grant are not guaranteed to be approved for an award as all requests will be reviewed through a competitive process to determine if we will fund the project. Programs may also be funded for amounts less than that which was requested in the application.
To access the online Concept Paper Application, please click the button below.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the MWHC Grant and Community Benefit Funds Manager at 540.741.1433.