Funding process and procedures

The Blue Cross Foundation has two primary funding opportunities through Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans and Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities.

How to apply

At the start of an annual funding cycle, potential applicants are encouraged to contact Blue Cross Foundation staff to discuss a project idea and the alignment of the proposed project with our funding priorities.

For Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities, call Lisa Simer, program officer, at (651) 662-0188 or e-mail her at Lisa_K_Simer@bluecrossmn.com.

For Healthy Together, call Jocelyn Ancheta, program officer, at (651) 662-2894 or e-mail her at Jocelyn_L_Ancheta@bluecrossmn.com.

Based on the outcome of your conversation with foundation staff, prepare a cover sheet (Microsoft Word) and a two-to-three page letter of inquiry on your organization’s letterhead that includes:

• An overview of your organization — including mission, services and population served
• A summary of your proposed project
• Amount requested and time frame
• Whether funds are for program planning or implementation
• Description of the geographic area (projects must be place-based, working within a defined community for Growing Up Healthy only)
• Intended outcomes
• Project partners, if applicable
• Project focus areas
• Names and e-mail addresses of your executive director and a primary contact person for the project (if different). This information is required because the foundation will e-mail the outcome of our review to each organization.

Mail an original and three copies of your cover sheet and inquiry letter to:
Joan Cleary, Vice President, Foundation and Community Leadership
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation
c/o Foundation Coordinator
3535 Blue Cross Road, Route M459
Eagan, MN 55122

Those whose projects appear to best meet the initiative’s goals will be invited to prepare full proposals. Foundation staff review all proposals and conduct site visits with finalists. The Blue Cross Foundation’s Board of Directors makes all final funding decisions.

Because the volume of requests typically exceeds available funding, we cannot fund all proposals that fall within our guidelines.

2007 due dates

Please discuss your project idea with us before submitting a letter of inquiry.

• April 13, 2007: Letter of inquiry due date for Growing Up Healthy: Kids and Communities
• We are no longer accepting letters for Healthy Together: Creating Community with New Americans. The deadline expired in February.

Eligibility

The Blue Cross Foundation invites a wide range of organizations to apply for funding, including community- and faith-based organizations; state, county and municipal agencies; tribal governments and agencies; professional associations or collaboratives; and policy and research organizations. Applicants must be located in Minnesota or serve Minnesotans. Eligible applicants include units of government as well as organizations designated as nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

The foundation is unable to provide grants to or make loans for the following:

• Individuals
• Lobbying, political or fraternal activities
• Sports events and athletic groups
• Religious purposes
• Clinical quality improvement activities
• Biomedical research
• Capital purposes (building, purchase, remodeling or furnishing of facilities)
• Equipment or travel, except as related to requests for program support
• Endowments, fundraising events or development campaigns
• Retiring debt or covering deficits
• Payment of services or benefits reimbursable from other sources
• Supplanting funds already secured for budgeted staff and/or services
• Long-term financial support

As a statewide corporate health philanthropy, the Blue Cross Foundation seeks to support the work of organizations throughout Minnesota that share our priorities. For this reason, we do not typically award more than one grant to an organization during a given time period.