Grantmaking Rationale and Guidance to Grantseekers

The John Rex Endowment invests in the development and support of activities, programs and organizations that improve the health of underserved people in Wake and surrounding counties. Currently, the Endowment supports visible and measurable improvements in the health of children and youth by improving access to health services, by promoting healthy behaviors and by providing opportunities for growth and development.

The Endowment's "Physical Health" portfolio emphasizes:

• Our Healthy Weight Initiative, to encourage healthy eating and physical activity in school, community, neighborhood, and practitioner settings, and
• Projects that provide vision screening, dental health services, disease management services, and services for children and youth living with disabilities.

For the current grant cycle, the John Rex Endowment is distributing this request for proposals (RFP) for projects that focus on nutrition and fit with our Healthy Weight Initiative.

Funding Guidelines

The Endowment funds 501(c) (3) nonprofits designated as public charities and government agencies that focus on improving the health of children and youth in Wake County.

The Endowment encourages proposals that:

• Target underserved, disadvantaged, or at-risk children and/or youth.
• Reflect collaborations among organizations.
• Incorporate strategies using the best available evidence of effectiveness in addressing targeted outcomes. Such demonstration can include established best practice guidelines, reviews of the research evidence, and/or a foundation in theory.

Both the grant term and the financial request should be determined by the desired outcomes of the proposal. Grantees must be able to submit interim and final written reports on their projects and participate in one-on-one and/or group meetings for mutual learning and development.

Submitted proposals should target one of the following outcomes: 1) increasing healthy eating and drinking behaviors among children and youth; or 2) increasing breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration rates. Projects should incorporate one or more of the desired strategies listed below each outcome.

1. Increasing healthy eating and drinking behaviors among children and youth.

Priority consideration will be given to projects that:

• Seek to increase the availability of and access to healthy foods and drinks, including low-fat foods, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and legumes, and/or limit the availability of foods and drinks with minimal nutritional value.
• Are multi-level in nature: addressing factors that impact eating and drinking behaviors at the individual level in addition to changing organizational or community policies and environments to support healthy eating and drinking.
• Involve children and their families, with particular attention to the role of home environments and parental influence over eating and drinking behaviors.
• Are set in schools, daycares, neighborhoods, or other community settings.
• Involve professionals who work with children, when applicable, as a way of supporting healthy eating and drinking policies and environments.
• Respect the influence of cultural or social norms in eating and drinking behaviors and, therefore, identify and incorporate culturally-appropriate methods and strategies.
• Are responsive to economic disparities: reducing or mediating food insecurity with an emphasis on meeting nutritional needs despite limited financial resources.

Resources:

• John Rex Endowment Healthy Weight Initiative Resources
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation

2. Increasing breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration rates.

The Endowment recognizes the important role of breastfeeding as a foundation for healthy infants and children. Thus, the Endowment is soliciting projects that target women who are less likely to breastfeed, particularly women of lower income and with less education, as an approach for reaching at-risk infants. Priority consideration will be given to projects that:

• Educate mothers in understanding the benefits and challenges associated with breastfeeding as well as developing skills in breastfeeding.
• Increase social support, either peer or professional, for breastfeeding mothers.
• Create support for breastfeeding by positively shaping organizational or community environments through:
  • Modifying maternity care policies or practices or offering provider education to encourage and support breastfeeding in clinical settings,
  • Developing innovative employer programs or policy advocacy initiatives to increase benefits or practices that support breastfeeding mothers in the workplace, OR
  • Working in child care facilities to improve policies and services to support breastfeeding.
• Respect the influence of cultural or social norms related to breastfeeding and, therefore, identify and incorporate culturally-appropriate methods and strategies.

Resources:

• North Carolina Nutrition Services Branch
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation

Instructions for Proposals

Proposal process and timeline:

This RFP introduces a new two-step review process for the Endowment.

• Step 1: Grantseekers must submit a letter of intent via email (Kate@rexendowment.org) no later than 5 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2008 for consideration by the Endowment for a full review. Grantseekers will be notified of their consideration status by noon on Friday, August 1, 2008.
• Step 2: Grantseekers who are invited to apply for full review must submit a proposal in hard copy and by e-mail. Both versions must be received by noon on Friday, August 29, 2008.
  • In addition to individual meetings, grantseekers applying for a full review will have the opportunity to participate in a call-in information session, to be scheduled for early August.
  • The Health Improvement Committee will review proposals on September 16, 2008. Grantseekers will be notified of status following the Health Improvement Committee meeting.
  • The Health Improvement Committee will take funding recommendations to the Board of Directors on October 7, 2008, for funding approval. Grantseekers will be notified of status following the Board meeting.

Step 1: Letter of Intent Guidelines

Grantseekers responding to this RFP must submit a letter of intent to be considered for full review. The letter should be no more than one to two pages, and must be typed using a font size of 10 pt or larger. The letter of intent must include the following information:

1. Name and type--501(c) (3) or government--of agency/organization(s) requesting funds. Please note whether the project involves a collaboration with one or more agencies (and list names of partners).
2. Contact name, telephone number, and email address for the project.
3. Name and brief description of the purpose of the project. The project description should clearly state which targeted outcome and desired strategies listed in this RFP will be addressed.
4. Target population, including how this population fits within the Endowment's focus on addressing the needs of underserved, disadvantaged, or at-risk children and youth.
5. A concise statement summarizing: a brief description of the assessed need(s) or gap(s) in services specific to Wake County for the target population you've identified, how the project will address the need(s) or gap(s) in services, and why your agency/organization(s) is well-suited to implement this project.

Step 2: Full Proposal Guidelines

If invited, grantseekers should be prepared to submit a full proposal. The proposal must be typed using a font size of 10 pt or larger and must not exceed ten pages (including cover and signature page). The proposal will need to include the following components in the order listed:

1. Proposal cover page.
2. A description of the primary agency/organization(s) requesting funds, including background, goals, and current programs.
3. A statement of need summarizing the issue that the proposed project addresses and the target population. Again, the focus should be on describing the need(s) or gap(s) in services specific to Wake County and the target population.
4. A description of the proposed project. This information may be presented in narrative, with a table, using a logic model, or any combination of these. The project description should include the following elements:
• A statement of purpose and intended outcomes (the changes or benefits you wish to see happen as a result of the project). You should include short-term and long-term outcomes.
  • Examples of short-term outcomes might include: increased purchases of healthy foods or ability of at-risk children and parents to plan and prepare a meal together.
  • Examples of long-term outcomes might include: adoption of nutrition education program into school curriculum or decreased BMI of at-risk children.
• Your strategy or approach (e.g., a school-based nutrition education program targeting children and their families) in achieving intended outcomes and a summary of the best available evidence demonstrating effectiveness, or the strong potential thereof, of this strategy.
• Key, or major, activities that will be implemented in line with your designated strategy. For the sample strategy above--a school-based nutrition program--example key activities might include the following: 1) delivery of a classroom-based nutrition education program, 2) nutrition-related homework activities for children and parents, 3) point-of-purchase labeling of healthy foods in the school cafeteria, and 4) healthy cooking classes for at-risk children and parents.
• Project timeline.
5. An outline of how your agency/organization(s) will evaluate the implementation of the project (i.e., what worked and what didn't) and whether the project achieves intended outcomes. This outline should include specific questions you want to answer about your project as well as some ideas of ways you can answer these questions.
6. If this project represents a collaboration, a list of key partner agencies/organizations. The list should specify for each key partner what role the agency/organization will fulfill and/or what resources the agency/organization will contribute.
7. Evidence of the organizational capacity and appropriateness to implement and sustain the project.
8. A statement of expectation as to whether grant-supported key activities will continue after Endowment funding. If not, briefly state why. If yes, briefly describe the fiscal plan to continue the program.
9. The amount and terms (months) of financial support sought from the Endowment, as well as how the intended funds will be used.
10. The proposed project budget using the Endowment's budget spreadsheet. Endowment funds may be used to cover both direct and indirect expenses associated with the proposed project. The Endowment will consider payment for indirect expenses not to exceed 8% of Endowment-paid direct expenses.
    • Direct expenses are clearly and easily attributable to a specific project and to the objectives of the proposal.
    • Indirect expenses, or overhead, are not easily identified with a specific project but are necessary to conduct the grant. Examples of indirect expenses may include rent, utilities, housekeeping, bookkeeping and Internet charges.
11. A list of each agency/organization's board of directors and agency management.
12. A copy of your agency/organization's operating budget with revenue sources for the current fiscal year. (Not included in 10-page limit)
13. Proposal signature page.