Mission: Extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ outside our hospital walls and into our communities.

CHRISTUS Health has a long history of caring for those in need. In keeping with our mission, we invest in long-term, transformative and sustainable strategies that respond to the expressed needs of our communities.

The CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund, the grant-making institution of CHRISTUS Health, was launched in January 2011. The purpose of the fund is to support initiatives led by non-profit community agencies that improve the health and well-being of our communities. 

How to Apply

The Opportunity 

CHRISTUS Health invites your organization or collaborative to apply and use upstream approaches to address our Ministry’s chosen priority topics within one of two domains: 

Advance Health & Wellbeing: Health education, prevention and wellness programs or initiatives that address community needs and opportunities that are aligned with a CHRISTUS Health Ministry’s Community Health Needs Assessment or Community Health Implementation Plan priority area or a System-Wide priority initiative.

a) Chronic Conditions

  • Heart Disease
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Cancer

b) Mental Health & Well-Being

  • Mental Heath
  • Substance Use Disorder 

Build Resilient Communities & Improve Social Determinants: Programs or initiatives that foster collective partnerships between non-profit organizations and social services to address critical social determinants of health within our communities. Areas of focus can include:

a) Healthy Food Access

b) Reducing Smoking and/or Vaping

c) Safe Housing

d) Education

e) Environmental Stewardship

Award Information 

Organizations, collaboratives or coalitions can apply for a maximum of $100,000 for one program.

Eligibility 

Non-Exclusive List of Potential Lead Organizations:

  • Non-profit community-based organizations having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS and not classified as a private foundation.
  • Collaborations can include:
  • State, County, City, or Township Governments
  • Independent School Districts
  • Public or State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • Hospital systems can be a part of a collaboration but cannot serve as the lead applicant 

Grant recipients may not use funds for:

  • Indirect costs greater than 15%
  • Biomedical Research
  • Endowments or capital campaigns
  • Capital expenses, construction projects, purchases of large equipment
  • Fundraising activities or event sponsorships
  • Individual or single special event
  • Direct delivery of reimbursable health care servicesGrants or scholarships to individuals
  • Advertising reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed
  • Existing obligations or debt liability
  • Lobbying activities including, but not limited to:
    • publicity or propaganda purposes,
    • preparation, distribution, or use of any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body.
Application Process 

The CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund will open the application process on September 18th, 2023. All non-profit organizations serving our service areas are invited to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by October 20th, 2023.

Following the review of all LOIs, selected applicants will be invited to submit an application to the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund on November 20th, 2023. All applications must be submitted by February 16th, 2024, at 11:59pm CT.

All LOIs and Applications must be submitted electronically through our application management platform, CommunityForce, at https://christusfund.communityforce.com/Login.aspx.

Late submissions will not be accepted. Collaborative organizations or coalitions must designate a lead organization or fiscal agent to submit the application on their behalf.

Timeline  
 Deadline   Activity
 September 2023  Letters of Intent Submissions Opens
 October 2023  Letters of Intent Submissions Closes
 November 2023
Invitations to Apply are Sent Out to Selected Organizations

CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund Application Opens
 February 2024  CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund Application Closes
 April 2024 Notification of Awards
June 2024
 Kick-Off Meeting

Grantee Onboarding

Grand Distribution
 July 2024
 Grant Implementation Period Begins
 June 2025  Grant Implementation Period Ends

For additional information regarding the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund, please contact christusfund@christushealth.org or subscribe to our newsletter here.