Capacity Building & Advocacy Grants

Capacity Building & Advocacy Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Ethel & James Flinn Foundation
Amount: Up to US $50,000
Last Updated: May 23, 2025

Summary

The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation aims to enhance mental health services in Michigan through its Capacity Building & Advocacy Grants. These grants, up to $50,000, support non-profit organizations in improving service quality and expanding access. The Foundation prioritizes collaboration, equity, and dignity, fostering initiatives that reduce stigma and enhance treatment practices. By integrating mental health into primary care and advocating for policy changes, the Foundation seeks to empower underserved communities and promote a holistic approach to mental health care.

Overview

Our Vision The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation is a private foundation that uses its resources to improve the quality, scope and delivery of mental health services in Michigan. Our Mission To advance effective, well-researched best practice mental health treatment and programs that meet the needs of people in Michigan. Our Values Collaboration. We are committed to providing leadership and collaboration across sectors to increase access and resources for mental health services Equity. We prioritize underserved and vulnerable populations to reduce health disparities and promote equity in mental health services Dignity. We work to reduce mental health stigma among individuals, families, providers, policy makers and the public Impact. We continuously evaluate the outcomes and impact of our grantmaking Our Strategic Priorities Improve mental health services by advancing best practice treatment programs, promoting early intervention, expanding access to care and building provider capacityFoster cross-system collaboration to address inequities in mental health access and outcomes, improve treatment and program effectiveness, and increase efficiencyMeasure and share the outcomes of our efforts so that we, and others, can learn from our experiences and improve the quality of our workEducate and build awareness to decrease stigma inside and outside the health care systemInform mental health policy by educating the public and policymakers, and advocating for access to quality services Why Are We Funding Capacity Building? The Foundation recognizes the importance for organizations to build capacity to maintain quality services. The Foundation awards annual one-year grants up to $50,000 to a broader universe of non-profit service providers to improve the quality, scope and delivery of mental health services. Improvement or enhancement of existing behavioral health treatment model that increases access to or quality of careOrganizational capacity improvementStaff or clinical training and workforce development Advocacy is one of the most important steps towards ending stigmatization of mental illness. There is an observed prevalence of misinformation, fear and aversions to speaking about our experiences so as to not be branded as abnormal by our peers. There is also a need to standardize early intervention in primary care settings so that mental health conditions are diagnosed early and behavioral health services are normalized as part of routine healthcare that addresses the whole person. Michigan can achieve the following goals for its population: Educate and build mental health awarenessIntegration of behavioral health screening, assessment, and treatment in primary care settingsPositive Influences in health policy and better information to decision makersGiving a voice to individuals and groups who are too often ignored The Foundation recognizes the importance of strengthening resources to grass root volunteer advocacy organizations and allocates $200,000 annually to a select group of organizations. We award mini-grants to small community led programs through our Awareness, Education, and Outreach RFP. The Foundation also supports public awareness efforts through partnerships with Metro Parent and Bridge Magazines.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Application Details

2025
Capacity Building Opportunities
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Timeline and Important Dates
Application Deadline: July 17, 2025 (Before 4:00 p.m.)
Decision Notification: September 16, 2025
Funds Issued: December 18, 2025
One Year Grant Term: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
Final Report Due: March 1, 2027

2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
MISSION
The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a Detroit based
private foundation established in 1976 by Ethel “Peggy” Flinn and her brother,
James “Jim” Flinn, Jr. Peggy Flinn passed away in 1994. Jim Flinn, Jr., who was
diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early 20’s, led a remarkable life until his
passing away in 2007 at the age of 91. The Foundation’s mission is to advance
effective, well-researched mental health treatment, services and programs that
meet the needs of people in Michigan. The Foundation’s geographic focus is pri-
marily southeast Michigan, defined as the counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb,
and Washtenaw.
ELIGIBILITY AND AVAILABLE FUNDING
This RFP is open to local or state governmental agencies and non-profit orga-
nizations located in Southeast Michigan that provide mental health care and
services. Mental health services must be a significant share of the services pro-
vided by the organization.
FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR 2025
Many providers are trying to adapt to the rapidly changing policy and funding
environment. The Flinn Foundation conducted a survey to better understand
those needs. As a result, $500,000 has been allocated for one-year grant
awards of $50,000 to $75,000 per organization to meet increased service
needs, organizational challenges and the shifting landscape that may include:
Implementing/ Expanding access to Training and/ Grant writing and/or
expanding telehealth therapeutic treatment or workforce alternative funding
services and services development strategies
Program evaluation Planning cross Strategic and/ Implementing
and impact sector collaboration/ or sustainability other program
measurement coordination planning and/or service
modification
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2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
INQUIRIES
You may contact staff at the Foundation to discuss eligibility and questions re-
Andrea M. Cole
garding this RFP. However, a discussion is discretionary and not a requirement.
President & CEO
acole@flinnfoundation.org
SUBMISSION
(313) 309-3437
All applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s online applica-
tion process that is accessible directly from our website. The Foundation’s
grantmaking priorities are outlined in detail and a tutorial is available to help
walk you through the application process.
REQUIREMENTS
When preparing your proposal application, please respond in clear and plain
language that accurately describes your project and intended outcomes
without too many buzzwords, jargon, or citations. To help you prepare for the
on-line grantmaking application process, we have outlined the following ele-
ments that should be included in your answer to each question of the propos-
al application sections:
Mission, Accomplishments and Organizational Capacity:
• Provide a brief history of the organization and/or department, current
mission and goals and description of services.
• Describe your organization’s capacity and resources to implement the
practice or program and the specific activities.
Purpose/Need/Population Served:
• Provide a clear description of the program and rationale/need for services.
• Identify the age range of your target population, geographical area, current
number of people served, the projected number of individuals to be served
directly by this program and the vulnerable nature of the population.
• Describe how this program will improve access to care, delivery of ser-
vices and mental health treatment outcomes for the population served.
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2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Activities and Outcomes:
• Provide a description of how the organization plans to implement the
program/services into your core services.
• Describe the services and activities to be provided and the specific
measurable results and outcomes that you wish to achieve during the
grant period.
Collaboration:
• Identify collaborative/multi-sector partners and stakeholders and their
roles and responsibilities.
Evaluation/Impact:
• Explain how the outcomes of the program will be measured and reported.
Sustainability:
• Describe how the proposed project/activities will be sustained after
the end of the grant term and integrated into your core services. If the
services can be supported through billable services, or other revenues,
include information on how and when these funding streams will be
utilized to achieve sustainability.
Attachments: The following three reports are required along with the
application:
• Executive Summary (Use foundation template on website - a copy
of the template is attached to help you with planning).The executive
summary is limited to two pages. This summary will be presented to the
Board of Trustees as your impact statement so make sure it is a clear,
concise and compelling overview of the need you are addressing, proj-
ect goals, activities and outcomes expected from the program.
• Budget/Actual Expenditure Report (Use foundation template on web-
site- a copy of the template is attached to help you with planning).
• Current financial audit conducted by an independent certified public
accountant (within last two calendar/fiscal years)
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2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
GRANT DECISION PROCESS
The Board of Trustees will review all proposals and make final approvals. The
funding decisions will be based on the following considerations:
• The degree to which the proposal addresses priority areas as defined in this RFP
• Ability to significantly improve the quality, scope, or delivery of mental health
services
• Ability to reduce inequities and disparities in access to care and treatment
• Ability to develop cross-system approaches to strengthen delivery of care
and services
• Ability to sustain program and services beyond grant term
REPORTING
All organizations who receive a grant will be required to sign a Grant Award
Agreement Letter notifying the Foundation of their ability to comply with all
reporting requirements. Grant funds are dispensed in December, 2025 and
the grant term for funded projects begins January 1, 2026.
APPLY
Please apply online at www.flinnfoundation.org/apply. The Executive Sum-
mary and Budget/Actual Expenditure Report templates are available at the
bottom of the webpage.
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2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) ATTACHMENT 1
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2025
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) ATTACHMENT 2
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
TEMPLATE
Note: Use formatted Executive Summary Template on website or
use the following format when submitting attachment:
Word document (No Pdfs, Letterhead, Logo, or Footer)
Two Page limit, Margins: Top, Bottom, Left and Right: 1.0”
Font: Times Roman,
Font Size: 12
Line Spacing: Single
Letter Style: Block, Text Align: Justify
Header: Organization Name (Capital Letters, Centered and Bold)
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