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Healthy Cents Fund

NEK Prosper! created the Healthy Cents Fund to promote upstream investments to improve health.

Funding for 2023-2024 has been awarded to the following:

  • $12,000 to Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging for Nutrition for Today
  • $15,000 to Northeast Kingdom Community Action for St. Johnsbury Youth Center
  • $23,000 to Umbrella to Sustaining The Spark & Ignite Change: Cultivating Trusted and Consistent Access to Accountability & Healing in the NEK

Purpose

We are excited to invite local entities to submit a letter of intent which describes a community-driven project that will advance health and create thriving communities through positive social, economic, or environmental impact. Projects should accelerate the work of NEK Prosper! and move us closer to a Northeast Kingdom which is…

The NEK Prosper! Healthy Cents Fund will support projects that address health inequities experienced in the St. Johnsbury service area described in the following data-driven problem statement: Due to stigma, marginalization and systemic inequalities, not everyone in Caledonia and Southern Essex Counties has fair and just opportunity to prosper (be financially secure, mentally healthy, physically healthy, well-housed and well-nourished), nor safe, accessible and inclusive opportunities to participate in planning and decision-making about the health and well-being of themselves, their families and their communities. This is true particularly for those experiencing stigma, marginalization and avoidable systemic inequalities associated with socioeconomic status; race, ethnicity and culture; sexual orientation and gender identity; visible and invisible disabilities; trauma, mental health and substance misuse disorders, and justice-involvement. 

NEK Prosper! is interested in supporting projects which help us achieve a vision of prosperity for all and our aspiration to build our collective and community capacity to dismantle systemic inequality and marginalization, foster community leadership and community-driven solutions and ensure fair and just opportunity to health and prosperity.

Funding Specifics

The NEK Prosper! Healthy Cents Fund has a total of $50,000 to support one-year funding awards, up to a maximum request of $25,000 per applicant for the one-year project period. It is the intent of NEK Prosper! to fund 2-5 proposals, dependent upon the amount of funds requested and the objective review process.

Eligibility and Priority

In general, grants will be awarded to organizations, entities or individuals* that meet these criteria:

  • 501(c)3 organizations, individuals*, municipalities, small businesses, affinity groups, and faith-based organizations serving people in the NVRH service area**
  • Has a mission to provide programs, services, or activities that promote health and healthy communities
  • Can provide a clear link to an identified community need
  • Exhibit a collaborative, partnership approach to delivering services
  • Have measurable goals and objectives for grant-funded services/activities

Priority will be given to projects identified and/or designed by those experiencing stigma, marginalization and avoidable systemic inequalities and who are typically left out of public health-oriented funding opportunities. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC)
  • People living in rural areas/internet deserts
  • People experiencing homelessness or insecure housing
  • People with disabilities
  • People experiencing substance use disorders
  • People who are justice-involved
  • Refugees/Immigrants/multilingual communities
  • LGBTQIA+ people
  • People experiencing poverty
  • People experiencing mental illness

*Individual applicants must identify a fiscal sponsor organization who is committed to accepting the grant award.

**Towns in the NVRH Service Area: Barnet, Barton, Burke, Concord, Danville, East Haven, Gilman, Glover, Granby, Guildhall, Kirby, Lunenburg, Lyndon, Maidstone, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, Sutton, Victory, Walden, Waterford, and Wheelock.

Eligible use of funds: Grant recipients may use funds only for reasonable program purposes, including staffing/personnel (salaries/wages and contracted personnel), travel, supplies, and services. Consultants, mileage, training, materials and rent are all eligible expenses.

Non-eligible use of funds: Funding may not be used for:

  • Research that would require review by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for human subjects’ protection
  • Clinical care
  • Publicity or propaganda purposes, for the preparation, distribution, or use of any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body

Funding will be awarded in a two-payment method, with an initial payment at the outset of the project period to be used in accordance with the proposed project budget. A final payment will be made upon submission of a final invoice and report.

Process and Timeline

  • April 19 by 11:59pm – Letter of Intent (LOI) due (LOI Template Word)/(LOI Template PDF) – email to d.gibbs@nvrh.org
  • May 5 – Selected applicants will receive email invitations to submit full proposals (templates provided)
  • June 2 by 5:00pm – Full project proposals and budgets due (Proposal Application & Budget Template Word)/(Proposal Application & Budget Template PDF) –  email to d.gibbs@nvrh.org
  • June 30 – Funding decisions communicated to successful applicants via email and paperwork provided to formalize grant award
  • July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 – Grant project period
    • Bi-monthly project activity reports are required by all grantees due by the 10th of each of the following months: September, November, January, March, May, and a final report due in July

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find out more information?

Read the Guidance Document here.

For questions regarding this NEK Prosper! Healthy Cents Fund opportunity or other support (accomodations), please contact Diana Gibbs, VP of Marketing and Community Health Improvement, at d.gibbs@nvrh.org or call 802-748-7590.  Slides from WebEx Q&A Session on April 13th.

How do become part of the review and evaluation committee?

E-mail Diana Gibbs at d.gibbs@nvrh.org by April 13th to express interest and find out more about the expectations and stipend (if applicable).  

What did the Healthy Cents Fund support before?

Collaborative Action Network: Financially Secure
Lead Agency: Umbrella, Inc.
Strategy: To create a community designed hub in St. Johnsbury that connects community members to opportunities to build social and financial capital in a supportive and inclusive environment with the overall aim to increase financial security.

Where does the money come from?

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital receives a capitated payment from OneCareVT, the statewide Accountable Care Organization (ACO), for delivering healthcare to Medicaid beneficiaries. NVRH has committed to investing 1% of those payments in the Healthy Cents Fund.

 

Can I see an example budget?