KANSAS HEALTH FOUNDATION

Contact information:

309 East Douglas
Wichita, KS 67202-3405
Phone: 316-262-7676
Fax: 316-262-2044

Website: http://www.kansashealth.org/

Type of foundation: Independent

Types of grants: Project

Description: Originally known as the Wesley Foundation, the Kansas Health Foundation received more than $200 million from the sale of the nonprofit Wesley Hospital to a for-profit corporation. All grants given by the Foundation are for the goal of meeting its mission to improve the health of all Kansans. The Foundation puts high emphasis on partnerships. It works statewide with nonprofit organizations, state agencies, universities, hospitals, communities and local coalitions.

The Foundation makes three types of grants:

1) Major Initiatives, which include proactive initiatives in six focus areas:

• Promoting the healthy behaviors of Kansas children.
• Strengthening the public health system.
• Improving access to health care for Kansas children.
• Growing community philanthropy.
• Providing health data and information to policymakers.
• Building civic leadership.         

The Major Initiatives area accounts for the largest portion of the Foundation's grantmaking. A complete list of recent initiatives is available online.

2) Recognition Grants: This is the only area in which the Foundation accepts unsolicited proposals. Recognition Grants provide support to nonprofits doing work in the area of health in Kansas. When reviewing proposals, the Foundation looks for those that "address a significant community health problem," have clear and measurable outcomes and will be led by applicant organizations that clearly have the capacity to carry out the proposed work. The Foundation awards as much as $2 million annually through the Recognition Grants program.

3) Other Grants: The Foundation makes a small number of grants that don't fit into the above categories.

Sample grants: 

• $5,339,400 over five years to implement the Reach Out and Read Program in Kansas, partnering with pediatricians and other primary care providers to encourage early literacy by making books a routine part of pediatric care (Major Initiative Grant, 2008).
• $400,000 over three years to Kansas Health Ethics, an organization dedicated to providing education about the essential role of health ethics in quality of life decision-making and providing information about the difficult planning and decision-making related to end-of-life issues (Major Initiative Grant, 2008).
• $200,000 to Kansas State Health Access Program to address the problem of Kansas children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medicaid and HealthWave programs (Major Initiative Grant, 2009).
• $100,000 to University of Kansas for radio series, Kansas Health: A Prescription for Change (Recognition Grant, 2007).
• $25,000 to CDC Foundation (Georgia) for the Knight Journalism Fellowship Program to improve public health journalism in Kansas (Recognition Grant, 2005).
• $3,237 to KPTS for "Parenting Counts: A Focus on Early Learning" spots one day a week for a year (Recognition Grant, 2008).
• $2,175 to Smoky Hills Public Television toprovide workshops in Southwest Kansas for parents and childcare providers on improving healthy habits of children ages two to five (Recognition Grant, 2008).

Fit for public broadcasting: There is a good fit for public media projects that disseminate public health information to Kansans. The Foundation regularly coordinates partnerships among organizations to achieve its priority health goals.

Eligibility: Any Kansas-based 501(c)(3) organization or government entity using the funds for charitable purposes and proposing a project that supports the Foundation's mission is eligible to apply for a Recognition Grant. The Foundation will not support:

• Medical research or medical equipment.
• Capital campaigns or construction projects.
• Operating deficits or retirement of debt.
• Endowment programs not initiated by the Foundation.
• Political advocacy of any kind.
• Vehicles, such as vans or buses.
• Direct mental health or medical services.

Deadline: Deadlines for Recognition Grants are March 15 and September 15 each year.

How to apply: The Kansas Health Foundation only accepts unsolicited proposals for its Recognition Grant program. Applications for Recognition Grants must be submitted online.

Giving range: Recognition Grants go up to $25,000.

Assets: $380,033,208 (2008)

Total giving: $18,381,904 (2008)

View 2009 Annual Report.