Reimagining Approaches to Improve Access to Care
The health and social safety net in Missouri and across the nation is facing
significant changes. The inability of many Missouri residents to access
adequate care continues to have negative consequences on the health and
well-being of our most vulnerable populations. Current state and federal
environments may mean funding cuts to safety net programs, making
accessing health care even harder for Missourians.
To prepare for these shifts, organizations are looking for new ways to help
consumers get care where and when they need it. This Request for
Applications (RFA) invites organizations in the Missouri Foundation for
Health (MFH) region to reimagine approaches to strengthening the
services, systems, and networks that impact vulnerable Missourians’ ability
to access health care.
Open Date
Close Date
Anticipated Award Date
June 2, 2017
June 30, 2017
November 1, 2017
Pre-application Webinar Date: June 7, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.
To register for the pre-application webinar, click here.
Recognizing that each community knows the needs of their residents and the
particular barriers that often prevent them from successfully accessing health
care, this funding program encourages organizations to propose approaches
that they anticipate will improve existing systems of care. MFH strongly
encourages organizations to look beyond traditional mechanisms or settings
for health care delivery, to partner with other organizations in a supportive
network, and aim to help people better utilize safety net services.
Through this funding we expect to learn, together with grantees, about
what may or may not work relative to:

Helping vulnerable Missourians access needed services and
successfully navigate the health care system at each stage of care

Working with diverse and non-traditional partners or networks to
address barriers to care

Designing and implementing a strategy to reimagine and adapt
existing systems, services, and networks, in light of potential
changes in the health care landscape

Utilizing non-traditional settings or innovative methods or
applications.
In seeking different and adaptive approaches, MFH recognizes that some projects will work and some
may not. A key motivation for this funding is for MFH and its partners to try new things, collaboratively
building a shared knowledge base while enhancing access to care.
Budget and Awards
Up to $10 million in total is available for grants under Reimagining Approaches to Improve Access to
Care. Realizing that some organizations may already have ideas that are ready for implementation,
while others may need more time to plan and foster partnerships, MFH will have two deadlines for
funding, one on June 30, 2017 and a second in the fall of 2017. The time duration for projects is up to
48 months and award amounts for individual projects will vary. Applicants should submit a budget
that aligns with the scope of the project, supports proposed activities, and clearly connects activities or
outcomes with line-item requests.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be nonprofit or governmental entities and meet the general MFH funding guidelines
available on the Foundation’s website.
Applicants may apply with a fiscal agent. Any 501(c)(3) organization that is in good standing with the
state of Missouri can act as a fiscal agent for another agency or organization with the following
characteristics:

Nonprofit agency or organization without a 501(c)(3) designation;

Start-up organization without a stable financial track record;

Small organization wanting to significantly increase its financial capacity; or

Community coalition. Note: As fiscal agent for a coalition, the fiscal agent organization must
be an active member of the coalition and involved with the project, i.e. not just providing
grant accounting services.
If funded, the fiscal agent and applicant organization will be responsible for all terms and conditions
of the Grant Award Agreement for the duration of the grant. For purposes of the grant application,
MFH will require financial information from both the applicant and the fiscal agent.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted beginning June 2, 2017, and must be received by June 30, 2017, at
midnight (Central Time). Please plan accordingly and submit your application well before the deadline
as MFH cannot accept late applications.
To start a new application, click here.
To return to an application in progress, click here.
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Application Requirements
Applications that do not contain all of the required documentation or in required MFH format will not
be reviewed unless applicant has contacted and obtained approval from the Foundation prior to
submission. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
 Application acknowledgement. Complete and submit the one-page acknowledgement
form. Please note: A handwritten or electronic signature is required. If using a fiscal agent, the
acknowledgement should include both the applicant and fiscal agent’s names and signatures.
 Application narrative. Address each section below. The application narrative can be up to
eight pages and must be double-spaced with at least 11-point Arial or Times New Roman font
and one-inch margins. Only those proposals that submit required attachments in MFH format
will be given consideration.
1) Considering the uncertainties within the health care landscape, discuss the distinct
challenges in meeting your community’s access to care needs. What particular barriers
exist within your organization and within the external environment? Provide data and/or
specific examples to illustrate challenges and barriers.
2) Describe the particular needs or conditions of the target population that will potentially
benefit from your project. How do barriers to access to care impact them?
3) Briefly describe your project, highlighting why you believe it has the potential to address
the access to care needs of your community. What systems, services, or networks do you
intend to address? How will your approach reimagine, innovate, or adapt them?
4) How will you define success for your project? What do you believe can be learned from this
project? What will you measure to inform that learning? Keep in mind that MFH
anticipates active communication related to knowledge gained with funded partners
throughout the grant period, including two convenings to share learnings in person.
5) How might your project have a lasting effect on the health of your target population or
contribute to shared learnings regarding access to care?
6) Partnerships are strongly encouraged for this work. Complete the table below, indicating
any partners that will be key to the success of the project. Include their role and briefly
describe the benefits they will bring. Copy and paste the below table into the application
narrative. Text may be single spaced. Insert new rows as needed. A signed memorandum of
agreement (MOA) is required from all partners.
Partner Organization Name
Role, Key Skills & Resources
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7) Organization.
−
Explain why your organization should lead the project. Describe the credentials and
experience of the individual(s) who will perform the work.
−
List any pending or secured funding, in-kind services, or other sources of support
anticipated to help achieve success.
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Explain how your organization’s mission, staffing, and operations reflect a commitment
to eliminating health disparities and achieving equitable health outcomes.
 Project plan. The project plan expands on the information provided in the application narrative.
The plan will also be used as a tool for the applicant organization and MFH to understand and
guide the progress of the work. Describe the indicators, benchmarks, or metrics you will use to
gauge progress and results, along with your plan for gathering that data. Please include
information about contributions to a shared knowledge base regarding access to care in Missouri.
The project plan template is available here.
 Budget spreadsheet and narrative. Download and complete the budget template on the
Funding Guidelines page of the MFH website. Please include travel for two convenings to be
held in either St. Louis or mid-Missouri. Please note: Budgets must be submitted using the MFH
budget format.
 Memorandum of Agreement. Include a signed MOA from each partner outlining roles and
responsibilities between the applicant and partner organization(s). A sample MOA is available here.
 Financial documents. Applicants must submit the following documents. If using a fiscal agent
submit financial documents for both the applicant organization and fiscal agent organization.
−
Annual audit report or IRS Form 990. Provide the most recent full audit report issued less
than 15 months prior to the date of application submission. If the most recent audit report is 15
months old or older, provide the most recent IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ tax return. If the Form
990 submitted with the IRS is 15 months old or older, please submit the most recently filed
Form 990 and the request for extension filed with the IRS for the most recent year due.
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Annual budget. Provide the current fiscal year’s approved expense budget. The budget must
show detailed annual expense by type.
−
Current income statement, unaudited. The income statement must have been issued fewer
than 75 days prior to the date the application is submitted.
−
Current balance sheet, unaudited. The balance sheet must have been issued fewer than 75 days
prior to the date application is submitted.
Note: If the applicant organization does not have either an annual audit report or IRS Form 990 or
990 EZ, provide explanation and ONE of the following:
−
Financial statements (income statement and balance sheet) for the most recently completed
fiscal year and current fiscal year:
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o
compiled by an external accounting firm; or
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prepared by the applicant organization and reviewed and approved by the applicant
organization’s governing body
 Fiscal agent explanation. If using a fiscal agent, the applicant organization submits a written
explanation outlining why one is needed. In addition, a signed MOA outlining the roles and
responsibilities between the applicant organization and the fiscal agent is submitted.
Additional Considerations
The Foundation reserves the right to:
 Request additional information from any or all applicants

Conduct discussions with applicants to ensure full understanding of, and responsiveness to,
the application requirements

Request modifications to a respondent’s application prior to final award to ensure alignment of
project elements with the core values, mission, and operating standards of the Foundation

Approve subcontractors proposed or used in carrying out the work

Reject any or all applications submitted
Inquiries
If you have questions about the goals or content of this RFA please contact Jessi LaRose, Health Policy
Officer, at (314) 345-5535 or [email protected] or Terry Plain, Program Officer, at (314) 345-5542
or [email protected].
Questions related to the budget may be directed to Frank Rybak, Grants Manager, at 345-5561 or
[email protected].
For more information on the online application system, click here. If there are additional questions,
please contact Jenny Minelli, Program Assistant, at (314) 345-5531 or [email protected].
About Missouri Foundation for Health
Missouri Foundation for Health is a resource for the region, working with communities and nonprofits
to generate and accelerate positive changes in health. As a catalyst for change, the Foundation
improves the health of Missourians through partnership, experience, knowledge, and funding. To
learn more please visit mffh.org.
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