Mini-grant Mondays, back by popular demand!

We had such success with our first month of mini-grants in July that we have decided to continue offering them.

From here on out, the first Monday of every month will be a Mini-grant Monday!

Here are the rules:

What are Mini-grant Mondays?

On the first Monday of every month, Northwest Health Foundation will announce the winner of a mini-grant worth $100 on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

How can my organization enter?

Follow Northwest Health Foundation on Facebook and/or Twitter. All you have to do to enter is either (1) tell us what your organization will use the money for by commenting on our monthly Mini-grant Monday Facebook post, or (2) tell us what your organization will use the money for by tweeting to @northwesthealth with the hashtag #minigrantmonday.

We will announce our winners at the end of the day on the first Monday of every month.

What can my organization do with the money?

Anything you want! You could pay for transportation to an event or advocacy day at the capitol. You could compensate community members for time spent participating in a focus group or advisory board. You could offer childcare at a community organizing meeting or event. You could buy flip charts, colored markers or other office supplies. Or...you tell us. The sky is the limit! (And nonprofit tax laws, of course.)

Check out the first four winners for inspiration.

How will Northwest Health Foundation choose the winners?

We will select winners based on (1) how well your organization fits our guiding principles and commitment to equity and (2) your plan for spending the mini-grant.

Anything else I need to know?

You must be a registered nonprofit organization (501(c)3 or 501(c)4) working with communities in Oregon or Southwest Washington to enter. Mini-grants will be awarded in the form of Visa gift cards.

This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook or Twitter.

What can an organization do with $100?

In July, we asked Oregon and SW Washington nonprofits, "What could your organization do with $100?" We received answers from 50 nonprofits, suggesting everything from buying new gardening tools for a school garden, to providing healthy snacks for program participants, to creating an educational video about their services, and lots in between. This is a testament to the amazing and varied work that is happening in our region!

To see the full list of requests, check out the comments on our Facebook page or search #minigrantmonday on Twitter.

Sadly, we could only select four Mini-Grant Monday winners in the end. And, here they are...

*drum roll, please*

Microenterprise Services of Oregon seeks to improve the economic opportunities of underserved individuals through empowerment, education, and entrepreneurship for the benefit of the greater community. 

Southern Oregon Early Learning Services is developing a regional approach to increasing positive outcomes for children and their families.

OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon builds power for environmental justice and civil rights in our communities.

Raphael House of Portland is a multi-faceted domestic violence agency dedicated to ending intimate partner violence for good.

Thank you to everyone who participated! We love learning more about all of the nonprofits in our region! 

To keep up to date on future opportunities, sign up for our email list.

Mini-grant Mondays

What are Mini-grant Mondays?

Every Monday in July Northwest Health Foundation will announce the winner of a mini-grant worth $100 on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

How can my organization enter?

Follow Northwest Health Foundation on Facebook and/or Twitter. On July 1st we will announce the beginning of the contest. All you have to do to enter is either (1) tell us what your organization will use the money for by commenting on our weekly Mini-grant Monday Facebook post, or (2) tell us what your organization will use the money for by tweeting to @northwesthealth with the hashtag #minigrantmonday.

We will announce our winners at the end of the day on Monday July 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th.

What can my organization do with the money?

Anything you want! You could pay for transportation to an event or advocacy day at the capitol. You could compensate community members for time spent participating in a focus group or advisory board. You could offer childcare at a community organizing meeting or event. You could buy flip charts, colored markers or other office supplies. Or...you tell us. The sky is the limit! (And nonprofit tax laws, of course.)

How will Northwest Health Foundation choose the winners?

We will select winners based on (1) how well your organization fits our guiding principles and commitment to equity and (2) your plan for spending the mini-grant.

Anything else I need to know?

You must be a registered nonprofit organization (501(c)3 or 501(c)4) working with communities in Oregon or Southwest Washington to enter. Mini-grants will be awarded in the form of Visa gift cards.

This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook or Twitter.

Suk Rhee Joins the 100 Million Healthier Lives Initiative

An illustration of the complex factors that affect the health of one patient.

We are proud to share that NWHF’s Vice President of Strategy & Community Partnership Suk Rhee has joined the Leadership Team of 100 Million Healthier Lives.

100 Million Healthier Lives joins patients, communities, health care systems, public health and other organizations to transform the way the world thinks and acts to improve health. They are committed to 100 million people living healthier lives by 2020.

The collaborative shares many of NWHF’s values and resonates strongly with our Healthy Beginnings+Healthy Communities Initiative. 100 Million Healthier Lives and NWHF both prioritize addressing equity gaps, as well as helping all kids get a healthy start in life. We both believe that health is mental, physical, social and spiritual. And we are both committed to community-based solutions.

100 Million Healthier Lives’ first initiative is SCALE (Spreading Community Accelerators Through Learning and Evaluation), a two-year initiative supported by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that will help communities across the U.S. develop capability to improve health and spread effective community-driven approaches to build a Culture of Health.

While Suk looks forward to being exposed to the great thinkers involved with 100 Million Healthier Lives, she is even more excited to tell the world about the amazing work Oregon and Southwest Washington communities are already doing. 

NWHF Asks the Kids

With the launch of Northwest Health Foundation's Healthy Beginnings+Healthy Communities Initiative, we wanted to speak to some of the key informants of our work. So our summer intern Nadia visited the Boys & Girls Club of Portland Metropolitan Area and asked the kids a couple questions...

HB+HC Organizing Grant Application Period Open!

Northwest Health Foundation is thrilled to announce that our Healthy Beginnings+Healthy Communities Organizing Grant Request for Proposals has been finalized, and the application period for Organizing Grants is now open!

Full application instructions are available in the RFP:

Healthy Beginnings+Healthy Communities Initiative will help communities improve health, from birth to high school, by 2020. Organizing Grants will equip 30 communities (self-identified by geography, identity, and/or experience) to organize themselves in preparation for five-year Community-Based Partnerships by providing $20,000-$30,000 funding per community, as well as creating opportunities to build relationships and gain exposure to essential concepts about early life and health, policy, advocacy, leadership development and other objectives to be identified by participants.

After the year-long Organizing Grant period is over, the 30 self-identified communities will have the chance to apply for five-year Community-Based Partnerships, of which ten will be awarded. These ten communities will receive $50,000 to $150,000 per community each year for five years (for a total of $250,000-$750,000) to build the community alliances that will drive Healthy Beginnings+Health Communities objectives. By 2020, we will have achieved measurable results both in building community capacity for improving health and in making positive improvements to physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being from pre-birth to ninth grade. 

Thank you to everyone who attended Outreach Sessions and gave us feedback on our draft RFP! The final RFP has been greatly improved by your input.

If you have not yet had the chance to attend an Outreach Session to learn more about Healthy Beginnings+Healthy Communities, do not fear! There are more coming up. Please check our website for dates and locations. Or, you can watch our recorded webinar here.

Two Funding Opportunities: Kaiser Permanente Community Fund & Learning Together

2014 Kaiser Permanente Community Fund Cycle

We are excited to announce the 2014 Kaiser Permanente Community Fund Grant cycle!

The cycle will open on April 10. Organizations and/or collaboratives must submit their intent to apply by noon on May 14 and their Letter of Inquiry by noon on May 23. To learn more,  visit the KPCF page and join us for one of four information sessions during the last two weeks of April.

We are now accepting applications for Learning Together and Connecting Communities.

Northwest Health Foundation is pleased to announce a funding opportunity to strengthen the capacity of communities o­f people with disabilities to self-organize, and to build relationships with organizations and communities for a broader conversation about disability, race/ethnicity and geography. 

Northwest Health Foundation wants to:

• learn more about efforts in Oregon and Southwest Washington that are engaging and led by people with disabilities;
• promote self-determination and build relationships among and with these communities;
• and inform the Foundation's organizational practices.

Learn more here.