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The NH ECCS Health Integration Project is seeking rapid micro-grant applications for funds to enhance existing efforts working to reduce health disparities by increasing connections between families with young children (pregnant through age 3) and necessary health services. 


Eligible Organizations

Any organization, program, agency, or other group serving or working on behalf of NH families who are pregnant or have children under the age of 3. Examples include family resource, home visiting, and other family strengthening programs, community action programs, early education programs, multi-sector coalitions, education providers, health care providers, etc.


Funding

It is anticipated that funds up to $100,000 will be available for the time period of February 1, 2024 through May 31, 2024. Given the short funding period, micro-grants are expected to support or enhance existing efforts. Multiple applicants within communities, regions, or other catchment areas are encouraged to submit collaborative applications. The maximum budget for singular applications is $5,000. Joint applications submitted by a lead organization on behalf of multiple partners may request a budget equal to $5,000 per partner organization, but no more than $25,000 per application. Regardless of the application type (joint or single), no one project may receive more than $25,000 in financial support from this program.


This program aims to provide funding to projects that represent a diversity in setting, geography, and approach. 

Watch the recording from the

12/4 informational call.

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Application Requirements

The NH ECCS Health Integration Micro-Grants Program aims to provide a simplified application process to ensure funding is accessible and low barrier. While there is no formal word limit on application answers, it is recommended to keep responses brief. 


Applicants will complete their applications online by clicking on the button below. Applicants will enter responses to the questions below directly into the form, and upload the required attachments. 


Applicant Information

  • Program or project name
  • Bidding agency/organization name (if different than above)
  • Primary contact + email
  • (If different than above) Bidder’s representative name and email (person authorized to enter the bidding agency into any micro-grant agreement)
  • (If applicable) Partner organizations + name of person responsible for related micro-grant activities.


Responses to the following questions, offered from the perspective of the existing program, partnership, or other initiative this micro-grant will support: 


Micro-grant project description 

  • How will you use these micro-grant funds? 
  • What activities are required to complete this project? Who will carry them out, and how?  


Need 

  • Describe the referral pathway challenges this micro-grant will help address in your community or service area. 


Potential Impact  

  • Please describe how your program is already working towards strengthening referral relationships with health care providers, and engaging families as leaders in that work.
  • How will the addition of these micro-grant funds enhance your existing work? 


BONUS QUESTION #1 (OPTIONAL) Describe 2 training topics or technical assistance focus areas that would enhance the success of your project. This information will help the project team develop content for the project’s kick-off convening.  


Budget & Justification

  • Total amount requested
  • Breakdown of proposed costs 
  • Explanation of proposed costs


Letters of Support 

  • For joint applications, only (may submit individual letters or a a single co-signed letter)

Program Requirements

1) Participate in one intake call with the project team to finalize the micro-grant project’s goal and objectives.

  • JSI will populate a brief workplan based on this conversation for the grantee to review and approve; will serve as the basis for progress updates.


2) A team member from each lead organization and collaborating partner listed on the application must attend both the kick-off and close-out convenings.  


3) Each project team must participate in at least one family engagement coaching call with NH Family Voices.


4) At the end of February, March, and April, provide progress updates to JSI on micro-grant goals and objectives; 

  • JSI will collect the updates and organize it into a reporting template for the grantee.


5) Submit a final report no later than May 31, 2024.  The final report will include a brief summary of progress on the micro-grant’s goals and objectives, and responses to the following questions: 

  • What was accomplished with the support of your micro-grant funds? How did the micro-grant funds impact your longer-term improvement goals? Short-term?
  • What is one thing you learned as a result of your micro-grant award?  How will that influence or change your future practice?
  • How could this micro-grant opportunity been implemented differently to better support your program? What was helpful?

Disbursement Schedule

Following notification of award, applicants will have 2 weeks (10 business days) to submit all required paperwork, including a letter of engagement outlining a mutually-agreed-upon disbursement schedule.


In accordance with NH DHHS contract monitoring requirements, all micro-grant awardees are required to submit documentation of actual expenditures with invoices, including vendor receipts, meeting agendas and sign-in sheets, timesheets and labor reports (if applicable). To reduce the reporting burden for micro-grant awardees, JSI has provided three micro-grant disbursement options for awardees to select.


  • Disbursement option #1: Grantee submits one cost-based invoice to JSI at the end of the project period for reimbursement of all approved expenses, not to exceed the total grant amount awarded.  
  • Disbursement option #2: Grantee submits four monthly cost-based invoices to JSI for the duration of the project, in total not to exceed the total grant amount awarded.  
  • Disbursement option #3: Grantee submits all non-labor project-related expenses in real-time to JSI for direct vendor payment, up to the approved micro-grant amount. 


Per the terms of the originating CDC funding, reimbursement of pre-approved grant funds are contingent upon the successful completion of requirements listed in the table below at the time of disbursement request. In the event grant funds have been disbursed, but project requirements have not been met within the timeframe of the program, the awardee will be required to reimburse JSI for those expenses.  


Grantees are required to be up to date on the requirements below in order to request payment.

Month

Requirements for disbursement

February ‘24

  • Complete intake call with JSI
  • Complete micro-grant outcome report
  • Attendance at kick-off call

March ’24

  • Complete NHFV coaching call

April ‘24

  • Submit brief mid-project progress update

May ‘24

  • Attend close-out convening
  • Submit final report

If you have any questions about the Micro-Grant process, please contact:

Cara Griffith | CHI/JSI | [email protected]


Project co-directed by CHI/JSI & NH Family Voices


Funded by NH Department of Health and Human Services

This program is financed under a Contract with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services, with funds supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award by CDC/HHS "NH Initiative to address COVID-19 Health Disparities grant #NH750T000031”.