CentraCare Health Foundation awards seven Community Grants in latest round of funding

The CentraCare Health Foundation recently awarded $180,000 in Community Grants to seven different projects in Central Minnesota to improve health and healthcare. The Foundation’s executive committee awarded grants during its Winter cycle to: Helping Hands Outreach for Elders, Lupus Link, Open your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless, Talahi Community School and True Friends. The Foundation also funded two applications from CentraCare Health, one for a support system in response to patient safety events and the other to provide for a Community Health Worker to aid the area’s Muslim and Somali residents.

The Foundation awards Community Grants three times annually for projects that best enhance our community, support or create innovative solutions, and capitalize on emerging opportunities. The grants fund health education programs, research to improve health, and programs that improve health and safety. The Foundation does not support building, fundraising or capital campaigns. Non-profit organizations, schools and government agencies are eligible to apply. The grants, which can be for up to $50,000, must serve residents in Benton, Crow Wing, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pope, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena or Wright counties.

The Fall grant cycle begins with acceptance of Letters of Intent from mid-June to mid-July. By the end of July, organizations with promising projects will be invited to submit a full proposal. Funding announcements will follow in October. Processes for Winter and Spring cycles begin in October and February, respectively.