What We Fund

The Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (Trust) is a non-profit, public benefit health care foundation dedicated to building a healthier community in the greater Pajaro Valley. The Trust provides grants for projects that advance our mission to improve the health and quality of life for all people of the greater Pajaro Valley. The Foundation welcomes applications from organizations that meet the criteria below.

Geographic Focus

Applicant organizations must provide or plan to provide programs that substantially benefit residents of the Pajaro Valley, the Trust's primary geographic service area, which consists of three zip codes: 95076, 95019, and 95004. Communities within this service area include: Watsonville, Pajaro, Freedom, and Aromas. The home office of the organization does not have to be located in the Pajaro Valley but must demonstrate plans to provide services to benefit residents of the area.

Core Grantmaking Programs

For projects to be eligible for funding they must address one or more of the Foundation's current strategic program areas. The Trust has committed to focus its program and grantmaking activities in the following areas through June 2010:

• Diabetes & Contributing Factors
• Health Insurance/Coverage & Education on Using the System
• Oral Health: Prevention & Access
• Promoting Entry & Advancement in the Health Professions

Please also visit the Core Grantmaking Programs page for more information.

Target Populations

In addition to the four core grantmaking programs, the Trust remains committed to making a special effort to support programs and projects that serve the following populations: Youth Ages 6–21, Low-Income and Underserved Individuals, and Farm Workers and their Families.

Types of Organizations

The applicant organization must be a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization; a school-based health program; or have a 501 (c) 3, tax-exempt organization as a fiscal sponsor.  In general, the Trust's Board of Directors prefers not to fund programs or projects administered by a city, county, state, or federal government with the exception of school-based health programs.  Other exceptions will be considered on a limited basis when the Board of Directors believes that funding a proposed project involving government will best serve the Trust's mission and goals as outlined in the Trust's strategic plan.

Types of Grants

The Foundation awards two types of grants:

• Responsive Grants – The Trust allocates grantmaking funds for responsive grantmaking to meet immediate and known needs in the specific health priority areas. These grantmaking efforts are narrowly tailored to promote change around a particular issue.  This is a competitive process in which the Trust identifies several broad priority focus areas, and delegates to its grantees the responsibility for developing a strategy to create an impact in those areas. Proposals are solicited through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. Deadlines and awards amounts vary. Complete details are outlined in each RFP.  RFPs are released and publicized through our website and through targeted communications.   We encourage all interested organizations to visit our website periodically for RFP notices and/or to request that their organization be added to the Trust's RFP mailing list.

Responsive Grant RFPs

• Direct Grants –The Trust, relying on its research-based knowledge of the focus and service delivery capabilities of area nonprofit agencies, pre-selects grantees for maximum impact on the provision of direct service in specific health priority areas. Direct Grants are generally issued in the spring of each year.
  
  The Trust does not accept unsolicited proposals; however, the Trust is always interested in learning about new programs working in our strategic program areas.  Interested organizations are welcome to submit a one page memo explaining their project/program.  This memo is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee any future funding.

Types of Grant Support

The Trust Board of Directors prefers to provide program/project support and does not generally provide capacity-building, core operating, or capital grants.  The Board has offered this type of support as part of a program/project grant.

Multi-year Grants

The Trust generally provides support for one year.  Multi-year grants are offered sparingly and only after accessing a number of factors, such as the feasibility of the program, without multi-year funds and the benefits to the community.

Consecutive Years of Foundation Support

There is no strict policy about the number of years an organization is eligible to apply for additional support.  Grantees are always strongly encouraged to seek funding from other sources.

Commitment to Cultural Competency

The Trust believes that organizational performance is greatly enhanced when people of different backgrounds and perspectives are engaged in an organization's activities and decision-making process. It is with that belief in mind that the Trust requires all applicant organizations have a nondiscrimination policy in place and must show a commitment to developing and maintaining organizational cultural competency.

What We Don't Fund

In general, the Trust does not give grants to:

• Projects that do not substantially benefit residents of the Pajaro Valley.
• Projects and proposals unrelated to the Trust's mission, eligibility requirements, and current strategic plan funding priorities and objectives.
• Individuals, with the exception of the Trust's scholarship programs.
• Religious organizations for religious purposes.
• Commercial ventures.

At the discretion of the Board, the Trust’s grantmaking policies may be modified in response to changing circumstances and priorities.

How to Apply

The Trust issues Requests for Proposals for responsive grants by October 31 of each year. In order to apply, organizations must follow the specific directions for the RFP to which they are responding. Applicants will find important information and downloads on this website to guide them through the process. Organizations may also request a hard copy of the RFP and application packet.  It is important that applicant organizations read all instructions carefully and review the Grant Proposal Checklist for the list of items to include in the grant proposal. 

Please note: Organizations may apply under both RFPs in years when more than one is issued; however, due to limited resources, it is unlikely that both requests will be funded. Organizations applying to both RFPs must submit separate proposals for each with separate checklists and application forms.

Grants are awarded once a year.  Proposals must be received at the Trust office by 5:00 p.m. on the due date. Proposals may be submitted by email, but a hard copy of all required supplemental documents must also be submitted to the Trust.  Faxed applications will not be accepted. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered for funding.  The Foundation's Grants Review Committee and Board of Directors meets in January and February to review grant applications.  Applicants will be notified no later than 30 days after the Board of Directors' meeting in March.

Download Application & RFP Information

Grantmaking Philosophy

Implement outcomes measures to improve the health of the community:  Through the establishment of long-term outcome measures the Trust will be able to evaluate its impact on the community. These outcomes will provide direction in all program activities and will provide a strategic framework to which all grants can be aligned. To this end, all grants brought forward for funding will advance these outcome measures.

Make data-informed decisions: Utilizing the available data from trusted sources, such as the California Health Information Survey, the Surgeon General, and the County Health Department, allows the Trust to make informed decisions regarding program direction. We will continue to access this information and use it to keep our programs relevant.

Utilize agreed upon program delivery approaches:  The Trust has identify specific program delivery approaches which dictate the program activities of the organization.  These include grantmaking, convening, operation of the Diabetes Health Center, and other program activities.  This allows the Trust to focus on the activities where it can have the greatest impact rather than taking on additional activities that would negatively impact the Trust's resources and effectiveness.

Stay in for the long haul:  It is imperative that the Trust set an example in the community as an organization that is willing to stay committed to its goals. As issues evolve, the Trust has evolved with them and we will continue to support the areas of greatest needs in our community until a true impact can be seen.

Be flexible and responsive:  The Trust will strive to adhere to the strategic direction set forth by the Board; however, it must remain flexible in order to be able to respond to the most pressing needs of the community.

Adhere to Board approved strategic program areas and target populations:  The Board approves the direction of the Trust's program activities.  The Grants Review Committee will uphold these directions and keep abreast of the most relevant issues affecting the strategic program areas and target populations to maintain consistent support to the issues most important to the Trust.

Past Grants

Please visit the Past Grants page.

Grantee Profiles

The Trust is pleased to feature stories about the vital nonprofit programs and services that your donations to the Trust help to fund. These stories, and the people who tell them, inspire us with their dedication to improving the quality of life and health for all the residents of our community.

• New Community Health Program Fights Tooth Decay: Developing Healthy Smiles to Last a Lifetime
• Life Lab Science Program: Kids Learn How to Plant it, Grow it, Eat it!
• Population Services International: Teen Advocates Join the Childhood Obesity Battle

Contact Us

For more information on our grantmaking programs or eligibility requirements, please contact Kathleen McCarthy, Program & Grants Manager, by phone at (831)761-5695 or write to her at Grants Info.

For all other inquires, please contact:

Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust
85 Nielson Street
Watsonville, CA 95076

Tel (831) 761-5639

info@pvhealthtrust.org