The breakfast of chicken, biscuits, shrimp, and grits was the first hint that The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s event to announce this year’s Request for Proposals for grants would not be business as usual. Indeed, the audience of 200-plus people (plus dozens more online) learned that the Foundation seeks to impact health equity by intentionally doing things differently than what has been done in the past.

To quote new CEO Dr. Kanika Tomalin, the Foundation’s Request for Proposals is operating “outside of the parameters of traditional grants. We are looking for impact, for bold ideas.”

The Foundation is partnering this year with Bayfront Health to double the impact of their grant funding pool. Together the two will jointly award a combined $2.9 million across two funding priorities: $1.1 million of Mental Health and Wellness for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and $1.8 million for work in Economic Equity and Justice.

Here are some key takeaways from the RFP discussion: 

• The RFP was released online on August 8. The deadline for applications is October 6 by 5 pm.
• There is a geographical target area of zip codes 33705, 33711, 33712, though grant activity can also take place outside of these zones.
• Funding ranges from $10,000 to $500,000 depending on the organization and proposal. 
• Funding can be spent on
  • Capacity Building: Up to $10,000. Great for newly formed non-profits looking to grow their capacity.
  • Research: Up to $100,000 for organizations with at least a $50,000 budget and non-profit status of at least one year. 
  • Programmatic Operations: Up to $250,000 for organizations with at least a $50,000 budget and non-profit status of at least one year. 
  • Multi-sector Collaboration: Up to $500,000 for organizations with at least a $50,000 budget and non-profit status of at least one year. 

Perhaps most notable was the Foundation’s out-of-the-box approach to the application process, with creative application avenues that include a traditional written application, as well as options for video or in-person applications. The Foundation is clearly walking the walk as they seek to effect “systems change”, asking grant applicants to think deeply about how to shift established systems that for years have negatively impacted the health and economic well-being of BIPOC communities.

As the morning’s session concluded, Dr. Tomalin challenged the audience to “be audacious in your thoughts and what you know about what our community needs. Throw off the yoke of restriction and think about what is possible and invite the Foundation’s partnership to help make that happen.” 

For more information on the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s newly released Request for Proposals, visit healthystpete.foundation/grantmaking

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