SHF: Responsive Grants Program

The SHF Responsive Grant Program, offered by Sisters Health Foundation, supports projects aimed at enhancing healthy eating, active living, thriving neighborhoods, and mental health in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public institutions targeting specific counties in West Virginia and Ohio. The program prioritizes evidence-based strategies to promote health and well-being, foster community resources, and improve access to essential services, making it a vital resource for local organizations seeking funding.

The Responsive Grants Program is a competitive grants program in which applicants can apply for project, capacity building, equipment or technology, small capital projects, or general operating support in support of the organization’s mission.
Healthy Eating, Active Living
We support projects and strategies that prevent or manage chronic health conditions by promoting healthy eating and active living through one or more of the following:
Education about the health benefits of a healthy weight, good nutrition, and physical activityEfforts that encourage and support behavior changeEnvironmental changes that make healthy choices the easy choicesIncreased access and distribution of healthy foodsPromotion and provision of opportunities for increased physical activityCoalition and cross-sector collaboration that promotes healthy eating and active living through policy or programmatic change
Thriving Neighborhoods
We support projects and strategies that address improving neighborhood conditions where people live, learn, work, and play so that everyone has the ability to achieve their full health potential by:
Improving the accessibility, affordability, and quality of health and health careImproving access to reliable transportation options so people can reach needed health and social servicesImproving access to stable and safe housing to foster a healthy living environmentSupporting efforts to increase connections to community resources and to one another to foster an environment of social connectedness and belongingImproving access to high-quality early childhood programs including in-home programs designed to improve maternal and child health, parenting skills, and child development as well as programs supporting the health and well-being of the preK-12 student populationSupporting coalition and cross-sector collaboration that improves neighborhood conditions and advances policy or programmatic change
Mental Health and Addiction
We support projects and strategies that address mental health and/or addiction. We are especially interested in evidence-based programs focused on:
Prevention activities such as education and stigma reduction of mental health and substance use disorders; trauma-informed care practices and supportive environments in schools, churches, workplaces, and other community settings; and provision of mental health services in schools and school-based health clinicsEarly intervention activities such as identifying and reducing individual risk factors for substance use, improving connections to needed services across various systems, and harm reduction efforts to reduce the number of deaths and the spread of diseaseBuilding the behavioral health workforce, including peer support specialists/peer recovery supporters, supporting high school and college pipeline programming, and encouraging careers in behavioral healthSupporting people in recovery with positive supports such as housing, connections to employment, and transportationCoalition and cross-sector collaboration that advances policy or programmatic change

Eligibility

An applicant must be a tax-exempt nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution.The project will positively impact residents in one or more counties of our service area:West Virginia: Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, WoodOhio: Athens, Meigs, WashingtonThe funding request advances healthy eating, active living; thriving neighborhoods; or mental health and addiction in the Mid-Ohio Valley.Applicants may only apply once in a 12-month period for either the Basic Needs/Direct Service or Responsive grants programs.Q. My organization is physically located in a county not listed in your service area. However, the project I’m requesting funds for will target residents who are in your funding region. Can I still apply?A. Yes, depending on your project and circumstances. Contact staff to discuss your request.

Ineligibility

We are unable to make grants to:Endowment fundsIndividualsOrganizations seeking retroactive funding for projects that have been complete or will be complete prior to the grant decision dateOrganizations that engage in proselytizing as part of their mission or programs