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The foundation awards grants through a competitive application and review process.
To be considered for funding, an organization must meet all eligibility criteria for the specific funding opportunity, as outlined in its guidelines; and prospective grantees must complete an online application, including all required documents.
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Open funding opportunities are announced on this website and through the Blue & You e-newsletter. We encourage you to sign up for the e-newsletters using the link at the bottom of the page to receive funding alerts and learn more about the Foundation and the work of our grantees.
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Programs and projects should address community issues related to health, well-being, and/or education and offer a solution to the issue(s) by bringing together and working with community partners and funders. The Blue & You Foundation’s funding focuses are behavioral health, maternal and pediatric health, and social determinants of health. Programs and organizations should also demonstrate operational and financial viability.
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- Capital campaigns or endowments
- Large construction projects or large equipment purchases
- Organizations that have previously received two years of funding for a project must apply for something outside of that scope of work.
- Health fairs, conferences or conference attendance fees
- Sponsorships or fundraising events
- Programs that are specifically tobacco related. Because of the availability of funding in Arkansas from the Tobacco Settlement, the Foundation will not fund proposals that are principally tobacco related.
- Indirect costs for programs or the organization
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- Organizations or governmental agencies must be Arkansas-based (or if the applying organization is located outside of Arkansas, the project to be funded must specifically benefit Arkansans). Check your organization’s status here: https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corps/search_all.php
- Any 501(c)(3) public charity
- Public schools, colleges and universities
- City, county and state governmental agencies
- Religious organizations are eligible, but the program cannot support theological functions or religious purposes.
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- Individuals
- Organizations cannot be a private foundation under IRC § 509(a)
- Political or lobbying organizations
- Athletes or athletic teams
- Beauty Pageants
- Greek or fraternal organizations
- Organizations cannot be in a contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
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A “contractual relationship” is defined as an arrangement whereby an organization has a contract to provide a service or product to the corporate entities of Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “vendor” relationship). Such a relationship would make the organization ineligible for a foundation grant.
Organizations whose sole relationship is that of purchasing health insurance for its employees from Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “customer” relationship), and do not provide a service or product to these corporate entities, are not considered to have a “contractual relationship” within this definition, and therefore are eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.
Also, an organization that has a contractual relationship to provide a service or product to individuals or groups that have health insurance through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “provider” relationship), are eligible to receive grants, if other eligibility criteria are met. For example, participating providers (physicians or hospitals) are not considered ineligible simply because they provide a service to individuals insured through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
An exception to the “provider” guideline above involves those several hospitals which have a joint venture contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. A grant application from a joint venture hospital would be ineligible. However, a qualifying Foundation of such a joint venture hospital could be eligible to apply for a grant if other eligibility criteria are met.
In summary, “vendors” are ineligible, but “customers” and “providers” as defined above are generally eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.
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New this year, applicants will be required to submit a letter of intent to Blue & You prior to being approved for the application process.
Letters of Intent will open on March 1, 2023 and are due April 1, 2023.
Applicants will be notified by email on June 1, 2023, if the letter of intent is approved and the application process is open to the organization. The application period will close on July 15, 2023.
Award notifications will be emailed in November.
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Mini grants are grants ranging between $500 and $2,000. The application for a mini grant is simpler and has a much shorter decision timeline. Applications for mini grants are accepted January 1 – February 15, and organizations are notified of award decisions by March 15. There is no advantage to applying early.
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Mini grants aim to support three categories of projects:
- Food pantry support
Only food pantries are allowed to apply for this category. - Health initiatives in public schools, colleges and universities
Only schools are allowed to apply for this category. - Emergency response equipment
- Food pantry support
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- Organizations or governmental agencies must be Arkansas-based (or if the applying organization is located outside of Arkansas, the project to be funded must specifically benefit Arkansans). Check your organization’s status here: https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corps/search_all.php
- Any 501(c)(3) public charity
- Public schools, colleges and universities
- City, county and state governmental agencies
- Religious organizations are eligible, but the program cannot support theological functions or religious purposes.
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- Organizations that received a mini grant last year are not eligible to receive a mini grant for two consecutive years. Organizations may only receive a mini grant every other year.
- Programs or projects that have been funded twice by mini grants cannot be funded a third time. Organizations may apply for a mini grant with a new program idea.
- Individuals
- Organizations cannot be a private foundation under IRC § 509(a)
- Political or lobbying organizations
- Athletes or athletic teams
- Beauty Pageants
- Greek or fraternal organizations
- Organizations cannot be in a contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
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A “contractual relationship” is defined as an arrangement whereby an organization has a contract to provide a service or product to the corporate entities of Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “vendor” relationship). Such a relationship would make the organization ineligible for a foundation grant.
Organizations whose sole relationship is that of purchasing health insurance for its employees from Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “customer” relationship), and do not provide a service or product to these corporate entities, are not considered to have a “contractual relationship” within this definition, and therefore are eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.
Also, an organization that has a contractual relationship to provide a service or product to individuals or groups that have health insurance through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates (in the nature of a “provider” relationship), are eligible to receive grants, if other eligibility criteria are met. For example, participating providers (physicians or hospitals) are not considered ineligible simply because they provide a service to individuals insured through Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
An exception to the “provider” guideline above involves those several hospitals which have a joint venture contractual relationship with Arkansas Blue Cross, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. A grant application from a joint venture hospital would be ineligible. However, a qualifying Foundation of such a joint venture hospital could be eligible to apply for a grant if other eligibility criteria are met.
In summary, “vendors” are ineligible, but “customers” and “providers” as defined above are generally eligible for grants, if other eligibility criteria are met.
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Grantees are paid via electronic funds transfer after the grant agreement is received. Physical checks are no longer mailed by the Foundation.