The grant application process requires a substantial time commitment. Before you begin working on your application, make sure you meet the requirements in each of the following sections:
Organizational Requirements
Policies and Practices Requirements
Missouri Open Meetings Law Requirements
Deadline Requirements
Non-Discrimination Policy
Reservation of Rights
- Is my organization a not-for-profit organization?
- Is my organization tax-exempt as defined by IRS Code Section 501(c)(3)? (If your organization has applied for 501(c)(3) status but has not yet received it, you will be required to use a fiscal agent.)
- If your organization is tax-exempt as defined by IRS Code Sections 501(c)(1), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(9):
- Is it incorporated in one of the 50 states?
- Can it provide a Federal Employer Identification Number (or, for government entities, can it provide enabling status)?
(If your organization has applied for but has not yet received certification as a 501(c)(1), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(9) entity, you will be required to use a fiscal agent.)
- If your organization is a state or local government agency, does it have a Federal Employer Identification Number? (HCF must be assured that our grant does not supplant existing funding for programs the grant supports and the governmental agency must agree, at a minimum, to continue the total level of funding provided by the grant when the grant expires.)
- Is your organization either officially incorporated in one of the 50 states or established by statute in one of the 50 states?
- Does your organization maintain ongoing operations, including staffing and programs, within Kansas City, Mo., and/or the Missouri or Kansas service areas?
- Is your organization in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations related to non-discrimination, wage and hour laws, workplace safety, licensure, protection of confidential health care information, and all other laws and regulations applicable to the staff, patients, consumers, and the workplace of the applicant?
- Does your organization have the demonstrated capacity to carry out program work funded by the grant, exercise financial controls and use generally accepted accounting procedures?
- Does your organization have an annual audit performed by an independent CPA? (Organizations who do not have a recent audit and IRS 990 will be required to use a fiscal agent.)
- If your organization is a religious organization:
- Does it provide non-evangelizing activities or programs
- that are available to the general public, and
- that are consistent with HCF principles of cultural diversity and cultural competence?
- Does it provide non-evangelizing activities or programs
Policies and Practices Requirements
- Are your organization’s policies and practices consistent with HCF guiding principles?
- Does your organization maintain non-discriminatory policies and practices at the service, employment and promotion, and governance levels?
- In both policy and practice, does your organization provide services to clients regardless of their gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status? (If the answer is “no,” potential applicants should contact HCF for assistance.)
- In both policy and practice, does your organization hire staff regardless of their gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status? (If the answer is “no,” potential applicants should contact HCF for assistance.)
- In both policy and practice, does your organization promote staff regardless of their gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status? (If the answer is “no,” potential applicants should contact HCF for assistance.)
- In both policy and practice, does your organization restrict membership to the board of directors based on their gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status? (If the answer is “yes,” potential applicants should contact HCF for assistance.)
All grants have to fit within the mission and priorities of the organization. There are some things that we don’t fund, including:
- Individuals, for any reason, including paying for medical procedures, prescriptions, health insurance, education or training.
- Basic or applied biomedical research, biotechnology, or laboratory studies
- Endowments or contributions to permanent funds or accounts that are intended to yield interest or dividend-bearing income for the support of staff, programs, services or other operations
- Construction, purchase, non-mandated renovation, demolition, or re-purposing of any physical facilities or real property
- Supplanting or offsetting the maintenance of effort by government or public entities
- Supplanting private funding
- Political campaigns to support or oppose candidates for public office
- Evangelizing activities of religious organizations
- Payment of bonds, loans, notes, or any other form of sponsorship or outstanding debts of an applicant or its affiliate(s)
- Annual fundraising appeals
Missouri Open Meetings Law Requirements
- Is your organization aware that HCF is required to meet the requirements of the Missouri Open Meetings Law (Sunshine Law) in all respects, and that materials submitted as part of any application are available to the public?
- Is your organization aware of, and capable of meeting, the applicable deadlines?
For tips and reviewer feedback regarding how to submit a successful application, please see our grant application tips guide to what reviewers are looking for and grant application tips.
For answers to common questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
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In awarding grants, HCF does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status. As part of the grant proposal, grantees will be required to affirm that, in providing services funded in whole or in part by HCF, the grantee will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status, either in employment practice or in policies and procedures concerning access to services.
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The funding guidelines are general in nature and HCF’s board or its committees may, from time to time and at their sole discretion, take actions that may deviate from these guidelines, in which case the official board action is governing. The board reserves the rights to unconditionally amend, modify, or waive these guidelines, in whole or in part, if HCF deems it in its best interest to do so.
HCF also encourages prospective applicants to contact us at (816) 241-7006 with any questions.
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