WellSpan Health is committed to endeavors that improve the health status of the communities and people we serve. To bring that commitment to life, WellSpan’s Community Grants Program provides direct funding for health-related community activities in our neighborhoods.
Grant Guidelines
Application cycles will open 1-3 times per year. A Letter of Inquiry is typically required as the first step in the process. After internal review of the Letter of Inquiry, organizations will be notified if they will be invited to submit a full application. To receive email notification of grant availability, email communitygrants@wellspan.org.
2023-2024 Grant Application Schedule
Proposed grant projects should
- Be consistent with WellSpan Health's vision to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we serve. Health is broadly defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being—a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capabilities.
- Be relevant to the health status needs as prioritized in the most recent WellSpan Community Health Improvement Plan. Current priority areas include: access to care, health equity, mental well-being, substance use and addiction, community engagement, social determinants of health, and community violence reduction initiatives.
- Demonstrate innovation and community collaboration whenever possible.
- Have a budget and scope that matches one of our grants:
- Imagine Grants: These grants are available by invitation only. They enable WellSpan to partner with community organizations to develop and implement innovative solutions to today’s most challenging issues. Specific focus areas will vary with each funding cycle and will address aspects of health equity and social determinants of health. These are big ideas that may lead to transformational change that is measurable and sustainable. These grants are typically larger amounts and may be eligible for renewal up to three years.
- Inspire Grants: These grants were formerly known as Community Partnership Grants. Support is provided for projects that advance WellSpan's Community Health Improvement Plan priorities. Projects should be new or expansions of existing programs, one-time seed or gap funding, and have measurable impact. Inspire grants are not for ongoing operational support. Grant amounts average less than $25,000 but larger requests may be considered.
- Spark Grants: These grants are $5,000 or less and are made available when emergent needs are identified in the communities served by WellSpan. For example, Slow the Spread grants were made available to address emergent needs related to safety and prevention of the spread of the COVID 19 virus. You may apply for these grants at anytime, here, but will only be awarded if funding is available.
- Summit Endowment Grants: These grants are restricted to organizations and projects exclusively serving residents of Franklin County. Information about these grants and application processes is available at Summit Endowment.
Application Instructions
