Michigan Health Endowment "Healthy Ottawa" Re-granting Initiative Fund

Funder: Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF), with leveraged funds from Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF) and Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland area (CFHZ)
Initiative Period: Three-year re-granting initiative
Geographic Scope: Ottawa County, Michigan

The Michigan Health Endowment "Healthy Ottawa" Fund (MHEHOF) is a collaborative three-year re-granting initiative made possible by a grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) and leveraged funds from both GHACF and the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland area (CFHZ).

Total Funding

• Total Awards: $490,000
• MHEF Contribution: $330,000
• GHACF Contribution: $80,000
• CFHZ Contribution: $80,000

Focus Areas

Programs focusing on three critical health priorities identified in Ottawa County's 2015 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP):

1. Mental Health
2. Access to Health Care
3. Healthy Behaviors (nutrition and exercise)

Target Populations

• Youth
• Seniors
• Other high-need populations

Grants Awarded

1. Wayne Elhart be nice. Memorial Fund: $40,000 for "be nice." education program on mental illness awareness and suicide prevention in Ottawa Area Intermediate School District schools
2. Holland Community Hospital: $55,000 to expand School Nursing Program to high school level in Holland Public Schools
3. TCM Counseling: $70,000 to extend counseling and school services to Holland/Zeeland area and increase counseling and psychiatric services in Tri-Cities
4. Love INC of the Tri-Cities: $75,000 to expand Free Health Clinic hours
5. Ottawa County Food Policy Council: $100,000 to expand Project Fresh for seniors, grow Meet Up and Eat Up Summer Meal program, increase access to Community Supported Agriculture, and launch Prescription for Health program
6. Ottawa County Department of Public Health: $150,000 to launch Pathways to Better Health, an evidence-based community health worker model

Selection Criteria

Applicants were prioritized based on:

• Programming that is new or expanded to serve a larger geographic area
• Focus impact on youth, seniors, or other high-need populations
• Includes collaborative partnerships across multiple organizations
• Led by a nonprofit with high organizational and financial capacity with track record of leading successful programs

Review Process

The review committee included representatives from both community foundations' Grants Distribution Committees and Youth Advisory Committees.