MIHEF Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles RFP

Overview

_NOTE: While not required, we strongly encourage you to submit a brief concept paper at any point during the year or during the designated time frame prior to your grant submission._

About

The Michigan Health Endowment Fund is a philanthropic foundation that works to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents while reducing healthcare costs.

The Health Fund supports organizations across Michigan, from grassroots groups addressing local health challenges to large agencies working in every county. From the urban streetscapes of downtown Detroit all the way to the rural corners of the Upper Peninsula, our partners are doing innovative, evidence-based work to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents.

Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles RFP

Michigan boasts one of the most agriculturally diverse economies in the country, yet our rate of food insecurity is higher than the national average. Poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity contribute to the prevalence of childhood obesity, which can in turn lead to a host of chronic health issues and other challenges, from diabetes to poor academic performance. Moreover, low-income communities are often disproportionately affected, leaving too many already disadvantaged young people even further behind.

The Health Fund’s Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles program is committed to improving health outcomes for Michiganders by reducing the barriers to living a healthy life. We support programs that bring nutrition and physical activity into schools, create fresh food pipelines, and make healthy lifestyles more accessible to seniors, children, and their families.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

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 NUTRITION & HEALTHY
LIFESTYLES INITIATIVE.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
Grant Timeline
March 3, 2025 Grant portal opened for applicants
Concept papers (two pages max) due by email at 5:00 p.m. ET
March 20, 2025
(strongly encouraged)
May 1, 2025 Application due by 5:00 p.m. ET
September 3, 2025 Awards announced
October 1, 2025 Earliest start date
A. PROGRAM OVERVIEW
MISSION AND STRATEGY
The mission of the Health Fund is to improve the health of Michigan residents, emphasizing the
health and wellness of children and older adults, while reducing the cost of health care. The
2025 Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles (NHL) Initiative supports this mission by addressing critical
nutrition and lifestyle challenges that negatively impact Michigan children and older adults.
Team NHL views healthy food access and lack of physical activity as social determinants of
health based on the Healthy People 2030 framework. Our team aims to address these factors
and improve the health of communities through four areas of strategic focus: food access, food
systems, physical activity, and the built environment.
FOOD ACCESS
Food access projects encourage healthy Examples:
food consumption, enhance nutrition
• Supporting healthy food
knowledge, and shape healthier behaviors.
access in Early Childhood
These interventions are pivotal to improving
Education centers
health outcomes and preventing diet-
• Addressing capacity barriers
related chronic diseases.
to engaging in reimbursable
Applications addressing this strategy should aim to activities in Medicaid
develop innovative approaches to combating diet-
• Partnering with schools to
related chronic diseases, enhancing nutrition security,
promote/enhance food
driving systemic change, and/or scaling replicable
access, such as sourcing local
program models.
food for students or
We will prioritize sustainable, innovative, and equitable enhancing food literacy
solutions addressing food security, access, and • Creating sustainable
nutrition. approaches to food security
CONSIDERATIONS
Proposals to implement Food is Medicine-style programming will not be competitive during
this grant round. This includes produce prescriptions, healthy food boxes/packs, or meal

delivery programs. While we have funded the implementation of these efforts in past years,
we are currently focused on strengthening critical statewide systems and partnerships to
help individuals access this support through Michigan Medicaid.
FOOD SYSTEMS
Food Systems interventions should focus on Examples:
local food systems and address critical factors
• Identifying regional
that affect communities’ ability to attain
solutions to creating
equitable access to nutritious foods. This
sustainable food systems
includes food production, processing,
• Addressing food waste
transportation, and consumption.
• Generating interest and
Applications under this priority may address governance pathways in the food
and economics of food production, sustainability, food systems workforce
waste, environmental impact of food production, or the • Improving relationships
effects of food on individual and population health. Projects and networks working to
should promote equitable access to food, integrate improve food systems
community voices, or empower youth. across Michigan
CONSIDERATIONS
Our funding is dedicated to supporting programmatic initiatives and does not cover
infrastructure-related costs or capital investments; applications will not be considered if the
proposed project budgets include these types of expenses.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Built Environment projects focus on supporting Examples:
healthy communities through enhancements to
• Supporting planning,
the physical spaces where communities live,
design, and pre-
learn, work, and play.
engineering of pathways,
Applications should support design and/or planning activities trails, and parks
that ensure communities are well-prepared to implement • Assisting parks and
improvements to their built environment that promote health recreation departments
in the future. Proposed projects should prioritize long-term to incorporate active
sustainability and community engagement. design principles into
community playgrounds
Learn more about our built environment work and examples
• Advancing development
of projects we’ve funded previously in our recent blog post.
of non-motorized
transportation and
CONSIDERATIONS
recreation plans
Grant funding is dedicated to supporting planning, design, • Implementing community
and community engagement efforts and does not cover engagement strategies to
infrastructure-related costs or capital investments (i.e., ensure local input is
construction, land acquisition, wayfinding sign purchases, central to built
etc.). Applications will not be considered if the proposed environment planning
budget includes these types of expenses.
2025 Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles Initiative 2

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical Activity interventions aim to Examples:
provide equitable access to health and well-
• Increasing physical activity
being for all individuals through exercise.
opportunities for individuals
Applications should focus on eliminating with disabilities
barriers that limit full participation in recreation and
• Addressing environmental
fitness activities, promoting access for everyone,
and/or social barriers that
regardless of ability.
prevent full inclusion in
Learn more about our work expanding access to recreation and fitness
opportunities to physical activity for people with
disabilities in our recent blog post.
To explore examples of successful Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles projects within these four
focus areas, please visit the Health Fund’s grant database on our website.
CONSIDERATIONS
Across all priority areas, requests should aim to develop new programming or expand or
introduce innovative enhancements into existing programs. We will not provide support
for ongoing operation of existing programs.
B. ELIGIBILITY AND GRANT AMOUNT
ELIGIBILITY
Nonprofits, federally recognized Tribes, local units of government, and the State of Michigan are
eligible for grants. To be eligible to apply for a grant under this initiative, applicants must:
R Be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization;
R Serve Michigan residents;
R Have a current certified financial audit or independently reviewed financial statements;
and
R Have at least 1 FTE.
EXCLUDED FROM FUNDING CONSIDERATION
X Clinical research X Lobbying activities
X Loans X Tuition costs and related fees
X Health-related emergencies* X Organizations that discriminate
X Capital projects because of age, race, ethnic origin,
religion, sexual orientation, disability,
X Litigation
or gender
X Ongoing program operations and
staffing
*The Health Fund might in some situations consider support to address longer-term rebuilding or other
needs following emergency situations.
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GRANT AMOUNT
The Health Fund anticipates awarding grants between $50,000 to $500,000. We welcome
proposals toward the smaller end of that range. Applicants may apply for a one or two-year
grant, but the total request is limited to $500,000. Please be sure to clearly identify your funding
requests per year in your proposal, along with any other associated program revenue.
An organization may apply for a grant no larger than 20% of its annual operating budget.
Fiduciary, or financial sponsor, agreements may be considered for small organizations to meet
the budgetary or eligibility requirements listed above. We welcome ideas from all types of
eligible organizations, regardless of size or funding request.
The Health Fund recognizes the importance of supporting indirect expenses and encourages
organizations to request the maximum amount to support those costs. Applicant organizations
with annual operating budgets less than $10 million may request indirect costs up to 30% of the
total grant budget. Applicant organizations with annual operating budgets at or above $10 million
may request indirect costs up to 20% of the total grant budget. The percentage is based on the
primary applicant’s operating budget size. The indirect cost line item should include indirect
costs for all project partners.
C. REVIEW CRITERIA AND EVALUATION
REVIEW CRITERIA
The Health Fund aims to solicit innovative proposals that align with the priorities of the
organization and the needs of Michigan communities. Proposals are evaluated holistically based
on the criteria below. We understand some submissions may not be as robust in some of these
elements. In this case, we encourage applicants to illustrate their intent and concrete action
steps to address areas where detail may be currently lacking during the course of the grant.
• Collaboration. The project demonstrates collaboration, including community/participant
involvement in planning and implementation, multi-sector partnerships with defined roles and
responsibilities related to the project, and leverage of external resources.
• Empowering communities. The project empowers communities to support their ongoing
health needs or challenges, and it engages with community leaders to share in decision-
making.
• Health equity. The project benefits the populations most affected by the health issue,
removes barriers to health, empowers communities to support their ongoing health needs or
challenges, and engages with community leaders to share in program design and decision-
making.
• Innovation. The project supports new or enhanced programs or strategies.
• Long-term impact. The project has the potential to achieve significant long-term impact by
implementing effective models or supporting needed innovation.
• Measurable outcomes. The project has clear outcomes and the potential to have a
measurable impact on improving health or quality of life.
• Strategic alignment. The project aligns with the Health Fund’s mission, strategies, and goals
and with the priorities in this RFP.
EVALUATION
To be considered for funding, all proposals must have evaluation plans including measurable
health outcomes, with the understanding that all health outcomes may not be achieved within
the grant period. While some outcomes are specific to your program or project, the Health Fund
strongly encourages applicants to use indicators that can speak to the effectiveness of the
2025 Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyles Initiative 4

interventions as it relates to systemic, behavioral, or biological changes. These indicators
include:
• Physical activity minutes
• Impacts of physical activity interventions on the total health of children and older adults
• Fruit and vegetable consumption
• Behavioral change
• Body mass index measurements pre-and post-intervention in clinical settings
• Improvements in chronic disease indicators (blood pressure, A1C, etc.)
Some projects will focus on structural changes that facilitate positive behavioral and biological
change. In this case, a detailed qualitative evaluation should speak to the system impact of the
grant award to children and older adults.
All proposals are required to submit a document outlining a proposed project evaluation
approach. This document should not exceed three pages in length. This evaluation approach
could be a logic model, theory of change, or another format. The document should describe the
relationship between project activities, outputs, short- and long-term outcomes, and overall
impact(s). Evaluation templates are provided here.
D. APPLICATION PROCESS
KEY STEPS
1. Submit a concept paper (two pages max) via email by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on March 20, 2025.
2. Applicant receives initial feedback, including whether the concept is likely to be
competitive.
3. Apply using Health Fund grant portal by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on May 1, 2025.
4. Applications are reviewed by program staff and subject matter experts. Clarifying
questions may be sent.
5. Awards are announced on September 3, 2025.
CONCEPT PAPERS
We strongly encourage concept paper submission for review and feedback by the Health Fund
prior to submission of a full proposal. While not required, this may result in a stronger, more
competitive proposal that aligns with Health Fund goals.
Concept papers should address the following:
• Project title
• Organization name
• Description of health problem, with a focus on groups and localities that experience
disproportionate impact
• Description of proposed intervention, including measurable outcomes
• Key collaborative partners and their roles
• Estimated budget (Note: a detailed budget breakdown is not required. However, please
include an overview of what the budget would cover)
Concept papers need to be submitted to grants@mihealthfund.org before 5:00 p.m. on March
20, 2025, and be no more than two single-spaced pages to be considered. We will not review
concept papers submitted after the deadline.
APPLICATIONS
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Applications must be submitted electronically using Fluxx, the Health Fund’s grants portal. We
ask applicants to keep the total narrative within the equivalent of 10 standard pages. The
workplan, budget, budget narrative, letters of support, and organizational documentation are
excluded from this page limit.
Please note: You will need an account to create and submit an application. If you have not
registered with our Fluxx portal before, you can request an account on the grants portal home
page. New accounts must be requested at least two business days before the application
deadline. Once your account is approved you will receive login credentials via email.
Full proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2025. Proposals submitted after the
deadline will not be considered.
The Health Fund reserves the right to confidentially share proposals with external reviewers and
other foundation partners. Applicants may be asked to provide follow-up information to address
reviewer questions. This request will be sent to the primary contact on the application in June
2025, and questions will be available in Fluxx. Responses are due in Fluxx within two weeks of
the notification. If an organization does not receive questions, it is not an indication of our
funding recommendation.
If a proposal is not recommended for funding, we will notify the primary contact no later than
September 2025. We will offer opportunities to discuss your proposal and why it was not
recommended. The Health Fund Board of Directors has sole responsibility for all grant decisions.
E. MORE INFORMATION AND FURTHER QUESTIONS
The Michigan Health Endowment Fund works to improve the health and wellness of Michigan
residents and reduce the cost of healthcare, with a special focus on children and seniors.
For additional information, please visit the initiative page on our website. For more information on
our grantmaking, view our Frequently Asked Questions. The following resources may be useful
as you develop your proposal.
a. 2024 Health Fund Year in Review
b. 2024 ECE Strategic Plan
c. 10 Cents a Meal
d. The Built Environment Assessment Tool
b. Michigan Food Security Council Final Report
c. The ALICE Project
d. Kids Count
e. Michigan County Health Rankings
g. Michigan Good Food Charter
i. Michigan Model for Health
j. Self Sufficiency Standard for Michigan
l. Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) Model
m. CDC Healthy Schools
n. CDC Adolescent and School Health
o. CDC Guide to Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in Communities
p. Advancing Health Equity and Preventing Chronic Disease
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