Think of the Possibilities Funding
2009 Request for Proposals

Think of the Possibilities 2009 has concluded. Thank you to all who participated. Fourteen grants totaling more than $796,000 were awarded through the 2009 Possibilities offering.

To learn more about the program, read the news release here.

The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund invites you to think of the possibilities and submit funding requests for concepts to help your organization realize "special opportunities" in three critical areas of work in Kansas.

1. Healthful physical activity and nutrition for young children (ages 0-6);
2. Early screening, identification, prevention, and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral health issues of young children (ages 0-6); and,
3. Access to primary care for unserved and underserved Kansans.

Eligible organizations:

50l(c)(3) and governmental entities are the principal group of eligible organizations.  50l(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations may qualify (please discuss your interest with staff).  Universities may partner with a community-based organization which would serve as the grant applicant. Preference will be given to United Methodist related agencies and institutions and to project work in the western two-thirds of the State of Kansas.  Grants are limited to Kansas.

“Special opportunity” is defined for this Request for Proposals as:

1. start-up or material expansion of an activity which should have some degree of sustainability beyond the term of the grant;
2. a meaningful innovation in an existing activity which would improve the efficiency, quality or scale of the work;
3. a highly leveraged project which attracts new dollars from outside the State of Kansas or support from a source not previously supporting similar work in a significant way (potential matching funds); or
4. bridge funding for an existing service threatened by current economic conditions (the potential of restored or new funding must be from an identified source which has a high probability of funding after this grant).

Special opportunities will not include:

1. donations to large capital projects,
2. purchase of equipment as the principal object for a project,
3. basic medical or social science research,
4. payment of individual health costs including health insurance premiums,
5. recruitment costs of health care providers or other professionals,
6. regularly occurring conferences, workshops and similar educational events,
7. funding for endowments, and
8. fundraising or other development costs. 

Critical Fields of Work

Healthful physical activity and nutrition for young children
(ages six and younger)

Although adequate physical activity and nutritious foods are known to be essential to healthy development, growing evidence indicates that young children may not be getting enough of either.  A small study conducted in Kansas several years ago revealed a surprisingly high portion of the day in child care is spent in sedentary activities.  Outdoor time is becoming more and more limited because of safety concerns and busy family schedules. Recent studies show preschool children consume more than their body weight in sugar every year—mostly in the form of fruit drinks, high-fat desserts, soft drinks, and candy.  Rates of obesity among young children are rising.  This is the critical time—an irreplaceable time—in a child’s life when the brain is developing, habits are forming, and a foundation for lifetime health is being established. 

To ensure young children are growing up in environments that offer the physical activity and nutrition needed for a healthy start, grants will support projects aimed at increased opportunities for physical activity and access to fresh, local foods.  These goals may also be extended to services for pregnant women and to encourage breastfeeding.
           
Samples of activities within the field of work:

• Development of and use of local food sources for child care programs
• Improvements in nutrition practices of child care programs
• Parent education about physical activity and healthy nutrition
• Improved outdoor play space
• Training in appropriate physical activity for young children
• Lactation education and support

Screening, identification, prevention and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral health issues for young children
(ages six and younger)

Early childhood represents a critically sensitive period in life and brain development during which early experiences and exposures set the stage for future health outcomes. As former Surgeon General David Satcher pointed out in his 2000 address on Children’s Mental Health, concerns about a healthy start for children often are limited to physical health while evidence is clear that mental health is fundamental to overall health and well-being. 

In spite of this knowledge, the lives of an estimated 20 percent of children are affected each year by mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. Increasingly, very young children are being identified with these disorders. Fortunately, there is growing recognition that some childhood mental illnesses can be prevented, and many others can be prevented from causing long-term damage if there is early identification and prompt, appropriate intervention.  To this end, grants will support activities to improve access to early screening and identification as well as to timely and appropriate interventions for young children and their families.

Samples of activities within the field of work:

• Expanded mental health workforce to serve young children
• Use of telemedicine
• Advocacy for policy changes in funding, professional practice, or governmental rules.
• Agency collaboration to build accessible professional team
• Integration of mental, emotional, and behavioral health into medical practice

Access to primary care for unserved and underserved Kansans

The Health Fund has provided grants to increase access to health care since it was founded.  This focus has become more defined since 2003 with grants supporting advocacy for health care reform and the expansion of safety net capacity in Kansas.  With a health care system that continues to deny access to significant numbers of Kansans based on ability to pay, citizenship, and/or location, needs continue to prevail. After reviewing our funding in this area in recent years, the Board of Trustees remains committed to assuring access to health care for every Kansan. 

Emphasis will be placed on new models of delivering care for rural areas and vulnerable populations, opportunities arising from national and state health care reform measures, and more integrated care. 
           
Samples of activities within the field of work:

• Public awareness of health care reform issues and potential solutions
• Start-up of clinics to serve persons under 200% federal poverty level
• Expansion of clinic services to include behavioral health
• Expansion of clinic services to include dental health
• Increased geographic range for services        
• Enrollment and outreach project for HealthWave     
• New model of care for rural primary care services

Program Details

• The Health Ministry Fund has committed a minimum of $500,000 to this Think of the Possibilities RFP.  Applicants may apply for up to $75,000 for a grant; however, it is expected that the average award will be $50,000.
• The award can be spent during a period as long as two years—beginning January 1, 2010.  If an applicant desires to delay start-up to permit final planning and coordination, that is completely acceptable.
• Collaborative ventures are encouraged but collaboration is not required.  An informal collaborative group must designate a lead agency which is an eligible organization.
• Cash and in-kind matching is not required.  Note however that leveraging (attraction of other funds to work in these critical fields) is highly desirable and will be a favorable review factor.
• In most cases, successful applicants will report—narrative and financial—at annual intervals and upon completion.  The Health Ministry Fund offers on-line reporting.  A telephone update will be arranged in lieu of six-month reports.
• The Health Ministry Fund does not anticipate making renewal awards to these projects.
• Indirect costs of up to 10% are permitted in grants of more than $10,000.
• Grant funds in eligible projects can be used for line items paying for salaries and benefits, payments to contractors, small capital needs (generally remodeling), equipment, indirect costs, supplies, training costs, temporary space (permanent space would be indirect support), travel, communications, and similar items.  Please note that projects which are primarily capital and equipment projects are ineligible.

Application Process

Letters of Interest using the Health Fund’s web-based application system were due by 5 p.m. on September 1, 2009. 

A limited number of concepts will be selected from the letters of interest to submit final proposals.  Final proposals will be invited by September 21 and will be required to be submitted by October 26.

Successful applicants will be notified by no later than December 4 and Conditions of Grant will be issued before year-end.

Significant Dates

Letter of Intent Deadline	September 1, 2009
Notice of Invited Proposal	September 21, 2009
Proposal due (by invitation only)	October 26, 2009
Funding notification no later than	December 4, 2009
Funding Available	January 1, 2010

The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund was endowed by the Kansas West Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1986.  With the mission of healthy Kansans through cooperative and strategic philanthropy guided by Christian principles, the Health Ministry Fund awards grants totaling $2,500,000 to $3,000,000 each year.