To be considered for an award, a nonprofit organization must share at least one of the Foundation’s goals and fall within one of the Foundation’s current program areas.  Consideration is also dependent upon shared priorities.

Goals
The Foundation's goals are to:
• Increase access to preventive and primary health care
• Improve health outcomes
• Provide health-related education, information and support
• Help older adults access basic needs and services and maintain independence

Program Areas
The Foundation's five program areas are:

• Physical Health - Clinic-Based Services
  • Community-based primary health care offered in clinics (e.g., medical services for all ages- pediatric, prenatal, well woman, adult general medical, etc.), immunization programs and disease management services.
    
• Mental Health
  • School-based counseling and prevention programs.
  • Programs that integrate mental and physical health care in a primary care clinic setting (i.e. integrated behavioral health models).
  • Community-based mental and behavioral health evaluation and treatment services provided by licensed professionals. Under this program area, the Foundation does not fund programs that provide support services to people with mental illness (e.g. basic needs, housing, employment assistance, etc).
    
• Services for Older Adults
  • Programs that help older adults (60 years and older) maintain independence (e.g., assistance with basic needs, adult day care, caregiver support).
  • Programs that improve or increase access to health-related services or health care among older adults.
• Special Populations
  • Programs that improve or increase access to health-related services or health care among populations with specific needs. Currently, the foundation is accepting proposals that address the health-related needs of pregnant and parenting teens, people with cancer or diabetes, or children with disabilities.
    
• Oral Health
  • St. David's Community Health Foundation Leadership supports the St. David's Dental Program that provides free dental screenings, sealants and acute care to children in low-income schools and adults served by agencies in Central Texas. Unlike other program areas, grant proposals for oral health programs are by invitation only.
• Healthy Living
  • Programs that are effectively engaged in encouraging, improving, and supporting healthy food choices and/or regular physical activity among children and families.
  • Programs that promote culturally and linguistically appropriate initiatives to address health disparities among ethnic, racial, gender, and socioeconomic groups.
  • Grant proposals for Healthy Living programs are currently by invitation only
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Priorities and Selection Criteria

The Foundation prioritizes projects and programs that:

• Reach large numbers of people in Central Texas
• Have long-term impact on the health of Central Texans
• Can produce measurable outcomes
• Receive support from organizations other than St. David's Community Health Foundation
• Are able to leverage their financial and human resources
• Are sustainable
• Have a reasonable and cost-efficient budget
  

We fund...

We do not fund...

Clinical services Direct project expenses, including equipment deemed essential to the project General operating costs such as salaries, consultant fees, project supplies Project-related travel Research and evaluation Policy analysis Capital campaigns, when the projects will significantly increase an agency's capacity to provide services Technical assistance Projects in non-profit organizations and public schools, colleges and universities Professional development and training Projects that improve the health of people in Central Texas. The Foundation is currently focusing on Travis, Williamson and Hays Counties.

Elimination of operating deficits Direct support of individuals Cost of individual healthcare Clinical trials of drugs or devices For-profit organizations Programs that exclude participants on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation Loans Support of political agendas or candidates Inpatient mental health services

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Due to the volume of requests, the Foundation is unable to fund many excellent projects that fit our priorities and meet the criteria.