To be considered for LFP funding, projects must be new, innovative and community-based. Significant program expansions—into new regions or to new populations—also are acceptable. Please note that this program does not provide funds to maintain existing projects.

We welcome projects that present original program elements, that offer a pragmatic solution to a clearly identified local problem and that create meaningful and timely change by addressing health in its social context. Improving health among the most vulnerable people requires acknowledging that if your family is not well off, if your schools do not enable you to be well educated, or if your community lacks resources, chances are you will not be well either. We seek projects that recognize that improving health means more than improving access to a doctor’s care. Such projects may address concerns such as mental health, school violence, trauma, young boys and men at risk, and problems that can be addressed by youth-led advocacy.

Furthermore, many Americans—particularly returning military, at-risk youth and young adults (ages 18 to24), individuals reentering the community after incarceration, very young children, older adults, immigrants and minorities—get lost in a tangle of costly, ineffective services that may address only one aspect of the health challenges they face. We are especially interested in proposals that offer fundamental changes in how agencies cooperate to deliver better services.

Well-tested models of proven effectiveness that have been widely disseminated are not likely to be competitive. Programs that provide access to medical care—such as the start-up of community health centers and clinics, mobile vans and school-based health centers—are not likely to be competitive, nor are proposals that focus on a single health condition, illness or disability. If a project falls under a topic that is comprehensively addressed by RWJF through another team—such as childhood obesity or health insurance coverage—it will not be considered for an LFP grant.

Applicants may be either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, private foundations as defined under Section 509(a) are not eligible to apply. To be eligible, an applicant organization must demonstrate the fiscal capacity to manage the funds.

The applicant need not be a health care organization. We recognize that broad-based collaborations—convening partners from both inside and outside of health care—can create significant opportunities to improve health. We welcome nontraditional coalitions of groups that share a common cause to improve the quality of life and health for the people in their communities. However, one organization must take the lead as the applicant, provide the primary contact and, if awarded, would receive the grant funds on behalf of the project.

Organizations that have been funded previously by RWJF are not eligible to apply for funds under LFP unless the new project is demonstrably different from the originally funded program.

Local grantmakers such as corporate, community, family or private foundations, diversity-focused funds or other charitable organizations may contribute matching funds to help support the project. Over the life of the grant, RWJF encourages multiple local funders to work together to help the project grow.

• Nominating funders must not be institutionally affiliated with the applicant.
• All matching funds must represent new funding specifically designated to support the proposed project.
• In-kind services may not be used to match funds from the LFP Annual Grantmaking program.
• Funds raised for capital costs, renovations or endowment are also not eligible as matching funds.

Only in unusual circumstances—when it can be demonstrated that no other philanthropic support is accessible in the region—will city, county or state funds be considered as a significant or primary source of matching dollars at the proposal stage. In that situation, applicants must clearly document that these are new public funds, designated solely for this project.

The active engagement of local grantmakers is one of the key criteria considered as proposals move forward in the competitive process. Often coalitions of co-funders contribute to the match over the life of the grant. During that time different grantmakers may fund the project in different amounts for one or more years, so that the combined total dollars either match or surpass the RWJF award. The nominating funder is usually RWJF’s primary contact and serves as liaison with the other local funding partners.