Overview

Are you a visionary, a problem solver, or someone who is passionate about creating positive change in your community?  Is your organization open to exploring new strategies and taking bold steps toward innovation?  Have you come across ideas or projects from community members, youth or nonprofit staff that you are eager to implement but lack the necessary resources?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, we invite you to consider applying for the Kansas Innovation Fund.

KHF will provide up to $5,000 for each approved idea/project.  Our goal is to provide a funding opportunity for nonprofits looking to explore new strategies to solve complex issues.

How the opportunity works

To enable eligible Kansas nonprofits to test innovative ideas to address health and health equity, KHF is providing mini grants of up to $5,000.  The mini grants will support a range of ideas from different sectors that address the underlying factors causing poor health outcomes and health disparities.

Any eligible 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, or church in Kansas classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, not a “supporting organization” described in Section 509(a)(3), and not a “private foundation” as defined in Section 509(a), may submit projects.  Applying organizations must have their independent 501(c)(3).  Fiscal sponsorships are not permitted with this grant program.  This is an open opportunity.  The program will remain available until funds for the year are exhausted.

Applications will be reviewed monthly, and funding decisions will be made within a 12-week period.  If your organization receives a mini grant, you will receive an agreement so you can start implementation right away.  If a project isn’t funded, you are welcome to submit other ideas.

Please note the following:

• Kansas Health Foundation will issue no more than one grant per organization per year.
• Funding must be for a new project, rather than going toward existing operations or programming.
• Funding must NOT be utilized for capital campaigns (directly or as an indirect contribution), new building construction or any other construction projects, operating deficits or retirement of debt, endowment programs, real estate acquisitions, lobbying efforts, individual medical care, medical equipment or supplies, medical research, private education or scholarships, or grants to individuals.

Criteria for Grant Selection

Does your funding request:

• Make it possible for more Kansans to have the opportunity to live a healthy life, or improve overall health?
• Propose a new and innovative project for your organization?
• Benefit Kansans or Kansas communities?

NOTE: Priority will be given to applications that are aligned with KHF’s current Issue Mobilization effort – eliminating hunger in Kansas and its communities.

Examples of possible submission ideas

The list of possible ideas is endless, but to help organizations as they consider their applications, here are a few ideas to help during the brainstorming phase:

• An inner-city church uses funds to host a workshop educating local residents about the pitfalls of payday lending and title loans.
• An elementary school working with a pediatric therapy group uses funds to create/retrofit a space where children experiencing anxiety can deescalate conflict.
• A nonprofit struggling with yearly fundraising uses grant dollars to learn more about creating a social enterprise model for sustainability.
• A community organization focusing on expanding the number of summer meal sites and considers mobile alternatives within the community.
• A local nonprofit using funds to broaden community meal programs by offering engaging learning activities for children, financial aid training/legal advice for caregivers, or both at the same time!
• A local restaurant owner partnering with a local church to open the church kitchen as an incubator for small, local entrepreneurs with a focus of determining what it would take to achieve “commercial kitchen” certification.

How to apply

To apply, please scroll down on this page and complete the application form. Before you begin completing the form, please note the following:

• The application cannot be saved once started, so we recommend preparing a word document in advance for offline reference.
• You will be asked to upload a copy of your IRS determination letter. This is a letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service confirming your organization’s non-profit status/tax exemption. Please have this letter ready prior to entering your application information.
• One of the questions on the application form asks for which regions of Kansas will be served by the initiative. For the purpose of this application, please refer to the Economic Development Districts outlined by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Which counties fall into which regions are indicated on this map.
• Beware of timing out of the form. Once you begin a form submission, the form “times out” after three (3) hours if not submitted.
• You must have the contact information of a legally authorized signatory for the applying organization. Signing authority is restricted to an organization’s CEO, President, Executive Director or School District Superintendent.  Please have your legally authorized signatory’s name, title, and e-mail address ready and available.

When the application form is complete, please hit the “Submit” button. You will receive a confirmation after submission.  If you have questions, please contact applications@khf.org.