Empire Health Foundation, in partnership with Community Health Network of Washington, Washington Community Action Network, Northwest Health Law Advocates, and the Children's Alliance commissioned a study by the Urban Institute to analyze the viability of the federal Basic Health Option. The study found that more than 160,000 Washington residents would be eligible for the program, with almost 14,000 living in Eastern Washington. While actual take-up rates are projected to be slightly less, the results show that this will provide coverage for both urban and rural residents of the state.

Click here to read the key findings report [pdf]

Click here to read the full press release [pdf]

Grant Writer Assistance Fund

The Capacity Building Program at Empire Health Foundation (EHF) would like you to be aware of its Grant Writer Assistance Fund. In today’s economic climate, funders are requesting that organizations collaborate on grant proposals in order to expand both the reach of the investment and its impact. EHF understands that relationship building, proposal development, and grant writing take time. Many organizations do not have a designated grant writer or do not have the flexible funds available to hire a professional grant writer.

In an effort to assist Inland Northwest organizations collaborate and improve health outcomes, while remaining competitive in attracting resources to Eastern Washington, EHF announces the availability of funds to utilize the services of professional grant writers. This announcement is open as long as funds are available through November 30, 2012.

Please visit our Capacity Building page for more information on this grant, including how to apply.

*  School districts move to healthy scratch cooking featured

*  Grantmakers in Health Grant Writing Assistance award 

In 2011, EHF awarded a $30,000 grant to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to build grant writing capacity in the department to more effectively pursue national funding opportunities created by the Affordable Care Act.  The award was made possible in large part by a matching grant from Grantmakers in Health in sponsorship by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  EHF and DOH collaborated on preparing the matching grant proposal, which DOH successfully utilized to land a Community Transformation Grant of ~$3.2 million.   This year in 2012, EHF was again awarded an additional GIH matching grant with which the foundation will partner with the HCA and other state agencies in several new exciting opportunities.

*  Our leverage effect

On top of the $1.5 million in direct grants in 2011, the EHF team invested approximately $150,000 in seed funds (for grant writing and local matching funds) and staff time to help bring in over $1 million additional grant funds to the 7 counties, as well as a total of over $4 million to the state. We have worked hard to build strong relationships and collaborate with other funders.

*  Focus on Underserved Communities

As an example of that leverage, EHF granted about 10% ($160,000) of its grant budget to underserved communities such as tribes.  We also helped collaborative partners bring an additional $530,000 in out of the region funding to those communities, which is the equivalent of 40% of our direct grants budget.