Medical Assistance Grants

The Medical Assistance Grants program, administered by the Vitalyst Health Foundation, aims to enhance healthcare access and quality for low-income and underserved populations in Maricopa County. The program supports nonprofit organizations that provide essential services in vision, hearing, heart and lung health, and substance use treatment. By leveraging existing resources, these grants facilitate improved community health outcomes and equity, addressing significant health disparities among vulnerable groups.

Priority: Additional opportunities that fall outside of Vitalyst’s priorities
Goal: Strong Community Partners equipped to advance health equity.
Objective
Administer donor-directed funds of Vitalyst to support direct-service organizations in specific fields for populations living in poverty in Maricopa County.
Activities
Invest in direct service for vision, hearing, heart/lung, and substance use through Medical Assistance Grants.
Vitalyst Health Foundation was created when the St. Luke’s Hospital System was sold in 1995. In keeping with the hospital’s long tradition of charity care, restricted funds for Medical Assistance Grants were transferred to Vitalyst with the sale of the hospital system.
Every three years, Vitalyst requests proposals from nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizations that provide services, treatment, and programs in the areas of hearing, vision, substance use disorder, and heart and lung that leverage existing resources and maximize community benefit.
Medical Assistance Grants are designed to improve access to this type of healthcare and improve the quality of care through direct services for low-income and underserved populations in Maricopa County.
Funds must be used for services such as screening training, surgeries, program development related to direct services, and client-related equipment such as assistive devices and adaptive equipment.
Areas of Treatments
Vitalyst requests proposals from nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations that provide services, treatment, and programs in the areas of hearing, vision, substance use disorder, and heart and lung that leverage existing resources and maximize community benefit.
Hearing: up to $150,000 per year for three years (approximately $375,000 total available)
Funds are for direct services (such as screening, training, surgeries), program development related to direct services, and client related equipment (such as regular and specialty aids, assistive devices and adaptive equipment).
Vision: up to $150,000 per year for three years (approximately $350,000 total available)
Funds are for direct services (such as screening, training, surgeries), program development related to direct services, and client related equipment (such as regular and specialty glasses, assistive devices and adaptive equipment).
Substance Use Disorder: up to $25,000 per year for three years (approximately $25,000 total available)
As a long time partner, Crossroads, Inc. provides alcohol treatment, rehab and addiction prevention. There is no request for proposals for these funds as it is a small annual amount.
Heart and Lung: up to $100,000 per year for three years (approximately $230,000 total available)
Funds are for direct services and programs that prevent and decrease the incidence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Eligibility

Key CriteriaNonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizationsDirectly serving low-income or underserved individuals, measured by:Enrollment in a government assistance program (SNAP, AHCCCS, CHIP, etc.) orAnnual household income less than 250% of federal poverty guidelines, in 2022 for Arizona set as $33,975 for an individual income or $69,375 for a family of four  andFocused on supporting residents experiencing the greatest disparities in health including, but not limited to those with limited financial means, communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, and rural communities.Services provided to individuals residing in Maricopa CountyMaintenance of a log recording direct services provided to individualsSubmission of a mid-year and annual report documenting individuals served