LOGAN HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, INC.

GRANT GUIDELINES


The Logan Healthcare Foundation, Inc.

Serving the Residents of Logan, Boone, Lincoln, Mingo, and Wyoming counties in Southern West Virginia.

400 Airport Road, Chapmanville, WV 25508

Phone – 304-310-4704

www.loganhealthcarefoundation.com Mission Statement

The Logan Healthcare Foundation’s (“Foundation”) primary charitable purpose is to further enhance health initiatives in the region which include seeking to improve the health status of, and access to health care for the residents of its “service area”.  Utilizing a variety of approaches the Foundation will award grants to qualified nonprofit organizations with specific, identifiable needs in supporting or creating physical and mental health programs for the elderly and underprivileged, abuse prevention programs, smoking cessation programs, substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, vaccination services, women’s health services, and health and wellness activities, and promote the adoption of health policies that will address the unmet health needs of West Virginians in its service area.

 

The Foundation will ask applicants to describe explicitly how their proposals are responsive, including, by way of example: 

  • the target population for the grant;
  • the specific community needs the grant is attempting to address;
  • the activities the grant will enable; and
  • the results that are expected, and
  • the methods that will be utilized in quantifying the expected results.

 The Foundation seeks to respond to a wide variety of needs in the community.

Please note:

Do not send a query or proposal without reading our Grant Making Guidelines and Areas of Exclusion. 

 

Grant Making Guidelines

The Logan Healthcare Foundation supports innovative efforts and original projects that offer far-reaching gains and widespread lasting results with explicit, measurable and identifiable needs that contribute to the community's overall healthy well-being.  Grant Applicants will be expected to quantify the healthy results expected, how long they are expected to last and how the project is expected to sustain itself over time.  The Logan Healthcare Foundation will look to see if your organization has multiple funders supporting any particular project or program.  This is an indication of how the community as a whole supports the grantees projects or goals.

The Logan Healthcare Foundation will prioritize awarding grants to projects and programs based upon the size of the community population affected, the stock of tangible and intangible assets generated that contribute to improving targeted health outcomes, the stock of improved community financial health assets, the stock of improved or created functional community health infrastructure, the stock of improved community health education, skilled and healthy individuals, creativity and new ideas.

The Foundation might choose to fund the early stages of a project’s development and/or attempt to leverage additional funds to start or complete a project.  Interested parties must submit a proposal in accordance with specified Application Procedures.  Grant seekers must also be aware of what the Logan Healthcare Foundation does not support as identified in the Areas of Exclusion.  Please do not query or apply until you have carefully reviewed these guidelines.

Grant applications will be reviewed by the Grant Advisory Committee with the final distribution approved by the Logan Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors.  The size and number of grant awards are directly related to the amount of money available each year from the Logan Healthcare Foundation’s Endowment.  Generally, grants to individual grantees will range from $500 to an amount not to exceed 20% of the total amount distributed by the Foundation in a calendar year.

The following guidelines and requirements will assist Grant seekers in preparing their applications:

1.  In considering the merits of an application, several matters are evaluated:

  • Degree the program or project contributes to the overall community's healthy well-being;

  • The size of the community population affected by the program or initiative and how quantifiable results will be measured;

  • Whether or not the program or initiative will increase the stock of tangible or intangible health related assets, financial, infrastructure, etc., in the community as a whole;

  • Capability of the organization and its personnel;

  • Adequacy of proposed action to be meaningful in the problem undertaken;

  • How well the need for the program or initiative was documented or determined;

  • The length of time the proposed action will provide positive benefits to the community;

  • Collaboration with other organizations in the same field;

  • Appropriateness of services and projects;

  • Degree of support from other foundations, agencies and individuals and the degree to which the organization is depended on any single funding source.

2.  In determining priorities of grants, consideration is given to:

  • Seriousness of the problem being addressed and necessity for action.

  • Meaningful outcomes from grant.

  • Size of target population affected by grant.

  • Health care priorities of the Foundation and/or its Advisory Board.

  • Actions of other funding sources.

3.      Grants will only be made where there is fiscal responsibility including generally accepted accounting procedures adhered to by the organization seeking the grant and an annual audit if prudent due to size of organization and grant received. 

4.      At the discretion of the Foundation periodic reports shall be imposed as part of the grant.  If required, such quarterly or semi-annual reports must include a narrative addressing each goal and include an up to date budget with expenditures to date and a forecast on expected progress with remaining goals.

5.      No grants will be made to endowment funds, for scholarships, direct support of an individual’s healthcare needs, fundraising events or endowment campaigns, advertising campaigns, lobbying or other purposes set forth in “areas of exclusion”.   

6.      Equipment purchased with funds from grants becomes the property of the organization to which the grant was made, provided such equipment is not diverted from the purpose of the grant while the project is in progress.   The Foundation will carefully scrutinize equipment requests for applicability to the Foundation’s purpose and will generally not fund “equipment only” grant applications or equipment requests that exceed 25% of an overall proposal. 

7.      All grants will be made in accordance with the laws governing private foundations to organizations properly classified by the Internal Revenue Service as being eligible to receive grants.  Each applicant must file its most recent IRS letter of determination with each proposal or other written documentation of tax exempt status.

8.      If between the time of making a grant and the payments(s) thereof, any event of a substantial nature changes the grant seeker’s organization structure, operations, tax or legal status or health care purpose, the Foundation may, at its discretion, advance, postpone, reschedule or cancel any future payment.

9.      The Foundation will assign a reference number to all grant requests and report that number back to the requesting party.  All future correspondence must use the reference number.  It is the Foundation’s policy to notify by mail all requesting parties of the action taken on the grant request. 

10.    During quarterly meetings, the Board of Directors reviews, approves, defers consideration of, or rejects current grant applications.  Grant applications that are to be considered for funding during any calendar year must be received no later than October 2nd of such year.

Special Note:

One of the guiding principles of the Foundation is the belief that it is very important to develop good working relationships between grant seekers and the Foundation.  This entails full and current knowledge of each party by the other.  The grant seeker may submit additional information by mail that would be helpful to the Foundation in making its decision, or to explore with the Foundation methods and opportunities to accomplish its role more effectively.  Likewise, the Foundation may ask the grant seeker to submit additional information or arrange for a field visit by one of its officers or approved representatives.

The President of the Foundation is empowered to notify any applicant prior to a meeting if the request is not in keeping with the guidelines, the present interests of the Foundation, or the reasonability of the Foundation to fund the request.

Geographic Limitations

The Foundation is restricted to the geographic service area formerly served by the Logan General Hospital and the residents of Logan, Boone, Lincoln, Mingo, and Wyoming counties in southern West Virginia.  Further, the Foundation will generally apportion grants in the service area in accordance with the approximate proportion of services utilized by a particular area with the former Logan General Hospital.

Additional Information

All grant applications must be received by mail in duplicate no later than October 2nd of a funding year -   Applications by fax or email will not be considered.  

Grant seekers unfamiliar with private foundation grant making procedures may wish to review the section on General Guidance on how to request a grant. (see section on General Guidance)

Application Procedures

Please do not apply until you have carefully reviewed the Grant Making Guidelines and the Areas of Exclusion.

Your letter should contain sufficient information to allow the Foundation’s Board of Directors to determine whether the request complies with the areas of preferred interest or warrants consideration as a special project.

Applicants should be specific about the purpose of the proposed grant and the means by which it will support the project.  Applicants which have not received a response to their letter of inquiry within a reasonable time may feel free to follow-up by mail only.  No telephone inquiries will be accepted.

Name and Address of Person to Whom Applications Should be Addressed

President, Logan Healthcare Foundation, Inc., 400 Airport Road, Chapmanville, WV  25508

Format for Grant Applications

The Foundation prefers all applications be typewritten and double spaced on 8 ½ X 11 paper utilizing a 12 point font for ease of readability and mailed to the address above.  The Grant Request Transmittal Document must be completed and included as your organizations cover page for the Grant Application (Exhibit A).  Applications must follow all proposal guidelines.

            Proposal

Applicants will be expected to submit a formal proposal that includes the following items:

 

1)  A concise grant proposal summary of 1,000 words or less stating;

  •  the target population for the grant;
  • ·the specific community needs the grant is attempting to address and the length of time the need will be served;
  •  the activities the grant will enable; and
  • ·the expected outcomes.
  • ·the significance or uniqueness of the project.
  • ·any funding deadlines.

2)      A proposed budget for the program that additionally includes the applying organization’s overall total budget including salaries of paid staff and institutional overhead costs.  The proposed budget may not include institutional overhead costs for other programs and/or services.

3)      Other actual or proposed sources of funding must be disclosed including in-kind and matching funds.

4)      Certification of compliance with or the disclosure of past or potential non-compliance issues or other failures to comply with regulatory or other State, Federal or Professional standards of operation.

5)      Along with your proposal, include a brief (two pages or less) resume for your organization.  This information should be presented at the end of your document.  Tell the reader how your organization was founded, state its mission, and describe its structure.  Discuss the roles and credibility of important volunteers, employees, or board members.  State why your staff is qualified to accomplish the mission and spend the grant money responsibly.  Summarize your organization’s expertise and influence in the area which funds are sought, and emphasize how these pertain to your proposal.

Attachments

Applications should not be bound or stapled but should be arranged in the proper order and fastened securely.  However, the following documents MUST be submitted for a proposal to be considered. 

  • Most recent Audited Financial Statement if required and/or requested.
  • Most recent Form 990.
  • Agency operating budget for the current fiscal year.
  • A current expense budget for the project.
  • List of Board of Directors and/or officers with other organizations.
  • Copy of most recent IRS letter or other written documents indicating tax-exempt status.
  • One to two paragraph resumes of key project staff and a brief list identifying the personnel to be involved and their qualifications.
  • Most recent annual report.
  • List of any other funding sources that grant applications were made to and the grant application was denied along with the reason for the denial and a copy of the denial document.

Submission Deadlines

Applications must be submitted no later than October 2nd for any funding year.

Restrictions or Limitations on Awards

Because the Foundation’s funds are limited, each grant application is carefully evaluated to determine whether it falls within the areas of support identified in the Mission Statement, Proposal Guidelines or Grant Making Guidelines.

Applications that do not fall within these areas are unlikely to receive grant support.  To further clarify what types of applications are appropriate, areas that the Foundation does not support are described in Areas of Exclusion.

Notes

Applications sent by fax or by e-mail will not be considered.

Information on the status of applications will not be provided by telephone.

To assist the Foundation in determining how grant seekers identified funding opportunities, all applications should indicate how the applicant was referred to the Logan Healthcare Foundation (i.e., newspaper, magazine, nonprofit directory, Internet website, etc.). Please be as specific as possible. 

Areas of Exclusion

As a matter of policy, the Foundation does not make grants to individuals nor does it provide scholarships of tuition assistance for undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate education.  In addition, grants are generally not awarded to established schools or school districts.

The Foundation does not provide support for organizations that provide direct humanitarian or disaster relief, nor does it generally contribute to capital campaigns, debt retirement, or completed or fully funded projects.

The Foundation does not provide general support to annual fundraising drives, institutional benefits, honorary functions, general endowments, deficit financing or similar appeals.  Grant requests for funds to be used to support overhead costs, building or renovation projects will be considered only when the benefits of such activities clearly provide a substantial benefit for a large population base or substantially identified health care need or initiative whose results will substantially improve the health status of or access to health needs on a large scale (i.e., equal to or greater than 25% of the service area population base).   Grants are not awarded for religious activities or for efforts routinely supported by the government, the general public, or large grant makers.  Moreover, the Foundation does not provide funding for projects outside its geographic service area described on page 4.

If your project is not specifically excluded or if it falls within one of the Foundation’s areas of support, please read the Grant Making Guidelines to make a judgment about whether to pursue funding.  Please do not apply until you have carefully reviewed these guidelines.  Grant seekers unfamiliar with private foundation grant making procedures may wish to review the section on General Guidance.

General Guidance for Writing Grants

These basic principles provide general guidance that can help grant seekers increase their chances for a successful application.

  • Establish Your Objectives
  • Verify Available Funding
  • Review Successful Applications
  • Consider Cooperation
  • Write the Proposal
  • Document your Case
  • Define Expected Results
  • Present Your Budget
  • Maintain a Simple Approach
  • Include a Cover Letter
Establish Your Objectives

Successful grant seekers realize that having a clear vision of measurable objectives is essential to achieving conceptual goals.  It is important to know how your objectives and goals fit in with the philosophy and mission of your particular agency.

Establish tangible, concrete objectives before starting any grant application process.   Make sure your objectives are realistic and can be achieved within a specified time frame.  Identify as many details as you can about your overall goals.  Prepare a five-year plan to document your strategy for reaching those goals.  This will help you articulate your specific needs.  Grant seekers commonly make the mistake of planning for only the immediate future (or not planning at all).  You may wish to provide a timeline in order to clarify program objectives and outcomes.

Verify Available Funding

Verify that funding is still available.  Ensure that the funding disbursement schedule and the application deadline match your project’s time constraints.

Review Successful Applications

Review successful applications from other grant seekers whose projects are similar to yours.  Examining other applications will generate ideas for your submissions and provide an understanding of the competition.  Visit the library to study books that list examples or visit a nearby foundation and ask for help.

Consider Collaboration

Many foundations support applications that involve more than one organization.  If you submit a collaborative proposal, ensure that there is both a formal and informal relationship between the respective grant seekers.  The formal relationship should be appropriately documented

Write the Proposal

When writing a proposal, ask only for what you need.  Clearly identify your objectives and state your specific needs.  Describe how the Foundation might help you solve your problems.  Be direct and succinct, but remain persuasive.

Use or employ professional writing skills:  begin each section with a strong, clear sentence and support the introductory sentence with well-organized, interesting information.  Avoid using jargon that relates to your project, and never use the same application twice.  Poor grammar and punctuation immediately give a bad impression.  Be very careful when using form letters; make sure you address the correct foundation throughout.

Document Your Case

When discussing the problem you intend to solve, go beyond merely describing its existence.  Prove it exists with statistics, case studies, testimony, and other measurable data.  Use good judgment about the information you present, and give the reader hope so that the proposal does not sound like a lost cause.  Remember your objectives.

Define Expected Results

The key to a strong proposal is proving the likelihood that it will achieve its goals.  Result areas should always be clearly identified and measurement indicators should be outlined.  It may not be easy to do, but the value of having clear performance standards cannot be underestimated.  If there are potential problems, it is better to address them up front.  Be honest and you will be respected.

Present Your Budget

Your budget may be the first thing in your proposal that will be reviewed.  It must be realistic and lend credibility to your entire proposal.  Present the budget separately from the rest of the application.  Use tables to convey the information concisely, yet completely.  A short narrative may be helpful to explain unusual line items in the budget.  Make sure the figures are correct and the budget accurately reflects your needs

Keep a record of how you arrived at your costs.  Continue to maintain these records as you develop your proposal; they can provide useful information in your negotiations with the Foundation.  The records are also a valuable tool for monitoring the project once it is underway and for reporting on the project after the grant is complete.

Maintain a Simple Approach

Remember that often the key to a strong proposal is simplicity.  Do not waste words.  The Foundation is looking for a proposal that will succeed, so keep things clear, factual, supportable, and professional.  Be succinct.  Volumes of documentation are imposing not impressive.

Include a Cover Letter

Grant seekers often underestimate the importance of the original contact letter.  In many cases, this letter may be your first and only chance to make a good impression.  Reevaluate your logo and letterhead.  Limit the length of your cover letter to one page.  Make your presentation as strong as possible and keep it to the point.  Check (and double-check) for typographical errors, and ensure that the name of the foundation and your contact are correctly spelled.  Above all, submit a clear and readable letter.

 

 

Grant Guidelines – LHF

 

 

                           

EXHIBIT A

 

 

 

LOGAN HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION, INC.

Grant Request Transmittal Document

I. Requesting Agency: _______________________________________________

   Address: _____________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________________

Authorized Representative: ______________________________________________

Telephone: ______________________________ Fax: ________________________

Email Address: _______________________________________________________

II. DOLLAR AMOUNT Requested: $____________________

III. FEDERAL EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: ___________________

IV. SERVICE AREA (Counties in which proposed program will operate): _________

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Signature: _____________________________________________________________________

Title: _____________________________________________________________________

Date:  _____________________________________________

 

LHF – Grant Request Transmittal Document – Rev 6-01-14