Frequently Asked Questions

The Health Equity Fund aims to eliminate disparities in access to health resources and improve health outcomes for underserved communities in King County. The Major Grant funds projects focused on direct health-related service delivery and advocacy efforts to implement systemic change.

Applicants may request $50,000 to $200,000 for one-year projects. PHPDA anticipates awarding a total of $1,000,000 in this grant cycle.

About 20-25% of Major Grant proposals are funded. In a typical year, we receive 60-90 Letters of Intent, invite 12-14 full applications, and fund 6-8 grants.

Descriptions of all past grants are included on our website.

There is a section of past funded projects on our website. Many of our advocacy grants in the past have been Nimble grants, which are smaller one time grants that we’ve done in the past, that we are not offering for 2025. We have funded some Major grants for advocacy in the past. Generally the advocacy programs that we funded focus on policy outreach and policy research.

• Projects must address health access or outcome disparities for underserved communities and can focus on either service delivery or advocacy.
• Major Grant funding prioritizes development of new projects or maintenance or expansion of existing projects to meet Health Equity Fund’s goals.
  • New Projects: Development of new initiatives that align with the Health Equity Fund’s goals.
  • Expansion Projects: Existing programs aiming to significantly increase their client base or expand to new locations.
  • Continuation Projects: These will be considered if aligned with our funding priorities and demonstrate prior success. Continuation projects may include those seeking funding to maintain current service levels after the loss of other funding sources or the end of an existing funding stream.

Non-profit, governmental, and public organizations are eligible. Organizations without non-profit status may apply through a fiscal sponsor.

All funding must address a health disparity in King County and the Puget Sound region.

• Services funded by the grant must be delivered within King County. If your program operates in multiple locations, with only one in King County, the grant can only fund the portion of the program based in King County.
• Clients and patients may reside outside of King County, as long as services are delivered within King County.
• Advocacy grants can focus on King County or have a broader scope, including statewide initiatives. However, if the advocacy extends beyond the local area, the proposal and any grant reporting must demonstrate an impact on health disparities in King County and the Puget Sound region.

Grant funds cannot be used for large capital projects but may allow smaller capital expenses (e.g., computer equipment, medical equipment) as part of a larger project budget.

PHPDA includes focus areas in our guidance each year. However, those are not the only areas that we will fund. Focus areas are certain populations or programs that we know have a significant need, so we are looking to fund at least some programs in those areas. We also fund several grants each year that are not related to our focus areas. If part of your program is related to a focus area, you can highlight that, but your program does not need to be limited to the focus area. Within the LOI application, you would likely highlight the focus area in Question 1 describing the disparity and Question 2 describing the program work.

Yes. PHPDA’s Health Equity Fund uses a broad definition of health and health services. If your fitness program is targeted at increasing health equity and addressing a health access or outcome disparity, it is eligible. In your application, make sure to clearly explain the disparity you are addressing and how your program will address that disparity.

Any funding for capacity building should be linked to the health disparity you will describe in your application and program activities should be broadly health-focused. The key is to connect the health disparity and how the program will decrease that gap and increase health equity. You can apply for the portions of your work that have a more direct connection to health.

Capacity building is eligible if you can show the clear connection to a health disparity and that the capacity building work is focused and impactful in addressing the disparity. If you have aspects of capacity building as part of a service delivery or advocacy program, that is eligible if you can describe how the capacity work will improve the program and the outcomes.

Each year, we have a mix of repeat grantees who have received funding for multiple projects over the years, past grantees that have not received funding from PHPDA in several years, and grantees who are new to PHPDA. Each year, we generally have at least a few Major grantees that have never received funding from PHPDA in past.

Yes, if the proposed project provides services within King County, and the organization or its fiscal sponsor is a 501(c)(3), public, or government entity.

Eligibility is related to location of services and impact on disparities locally. For programs in King County, they can serve residents from other counties that receive the services within King County, as long as the impact is significant in this region. Remote services could be eligible if the “delivery” is in King County. However, for remote services, we would want to make sure that there is an impact on disparities in King County, so services delivered remotely from a provider located in King County that mainly impact clients and disparities in other areas of Washington would not be as strong.

Yes, research and data can be eligible for funding. However, just like you would for a service delivery proposal, be sure to outline how that program focuses on data collection and how research will contribute to decreasing the disparity you have outlined in your LOI.

The determining factor would be whether the services being paid for by PHPDA funds are located in King County. If the service being provided is the navigation, referral, and case management and that is located in King County, that would be eligible (as opposed to paying directly for medical or dental care provided by others in a different county). Transportation vouchers are eligible, again, if the service of case management and providing vouchers is geographically eligible.

Yes, as long as you demonstrate how your services address disparities in King County, such as mental health outcomes for caregivers. In your LOI, explain how you reach caregivers, the impact of your services, and how they help address local disparities. Virtual support is acceptable if it best serves your population.

The fiscal sponsor should create and manage the grant account, as they will be the official applicant, contract holder, and fund recipient. Be sure to clarify in your LOI that the fiscal sponsor is applying on behalf of your organization, which will implement the grant.

• Application Release Date: January 2, 2025
• Pre-Proposal Webinars: January 7 & 14, 2025, 1:00 PM
• Letter of Intent Due: January 23, 2025 (by 12:00 PM)
• Invitation to Apply Notification: February 27, 2025
• Full Application Due: March 26, 2025 (by 12:00 PM)
• Award Notification: May 16, 2025

Yes, applicants must submit an LOI outlining broad goals, proposed outputs, and outcomes. Only agencies with approved LOIs will be invited to submit a full application.

You can view a sample of the LOI Questions here.

• The LOI Application will open on January 2, 2025. You can view a sample of the LOI Questions here.
• All proposals must be submitted through our online grant system. You can find guidance on how the system works here.

Yes, organizations can receive more than one Major Grant. However, you cannot have two active grants for the same program at the same time.

Health Equity Fund grants are project-specific. If you can form a coherent narrative about a disparity and how multiple activities work together to address that disparity, you may be able to combine them into one application. However, if they are truly entirely separate programs, we would suggest focusing on only one program per application.

The fiscal sponsor should create and manage the grant account, as they will be the official applicant, contract holder, and fund recipient. Be sure to clarify in your LOI that the fiscal sponsor is applying on behalf of your organization, which will implement the grant.

We recommend that all applicants review the grant guidance, application questions, and sample grant contract.

We do not plan to hold individual meetings with applicants during this LOI application period. We encourage you to attend one of the webinars (January 7 or 14) to learn about the process and eligibility, and to ask any questions you have at that time. We expect most questions related to program fit and eligibility will be answered in these webinars.

• Yes, applicants can request general guidance on the Letter of Intent application until the close of business on January 21, 2025. This may include clarification of the Health Equity Fund’s requirements and funding principles as they relate to the proposed program. Please send questions in writing to grants@phpda.org.
• Answers to questions asked via email or in webinars will be posted to this FAQ page twice per week during the LOI application period (January 2–23, 2025). Any identifying information will be removed before posting.
• Please note, we cannot review draft proposals in advance.

The overview portion of the webinar will be recorded and posted to the Major Grant webpage. The Q&A portion will be recorded, but not posted on the Major Grant webpage. All questions asked at both webinars will be added to this FAQ page within a couple of days after the webinar.

Yes, applications must be submitted in English. Google Translate is available within the online grant system, allowing applicants to select their preferred language from a dropdown menu in the upper left corner. If you need additional accommodations, please contact us, and we will do our best to assist with translation support.

Identify the primary population your project focuses on, as funding is aimed at addressing disparities for specific groups. Consider which population experiences the most significant disparity that your program seeks to address. While intersectionality is important, your response should highlight the primary disparity and how your project aims to address it.

If your project is focused on training service providers, the target population should be the providers or trainees. If the project also involves providing services, then focus on the individuals receiving those services. Be sure to identify any disparities within the population you’re focusing on.

It’s important to clarify the primary focus of your project in your LOI. If the activities are part of a unified goal, they can be included in one project. Be sure to explain how the activities align and their overall impact.

Remote services are eligible as long as they are provided by a King County-based provider and the impact is primarily focused within King County.

Your proposal should focus specifically on King County to address disparities within the county. It should be targeted to health-related activities rather than general operating costs.

In the LOI, briefly describe how you currently track digital services and how you reach the target population. Make sure to clarify that the program targets a specific population and how you measure engagement.

Short-term refers to the first year, and long-term refers to the full 3-year vision. Be sure to address both. In the LOI, outline what can be achieved in the first year and set specific short-term goals, while also describing the long-term outcome goals for the 3-year period.

The number depends on your project, population, and disparity being addressed. Be realistic about how many people you can effectively serve while maintaining quality. There is no set number, but it should align with your project goals and impact.

While the Major Grant contract period is one year at a time, with the possibility of renewal for up to three years of consecutive funding, your application should primarily focus on the anticipated outcomes for the first year. It can be helpful to include a general vision for the full three-year project, but the details should clearly outline what you are requesting funding for in the first year.

We are sunsetting our Nimble Grant program to make room for higher impact programs and initiatives. We recognize the need for more systemic changes to manifest a world where healthcare is a right and health disparities do not exist. We are looking at how best to use our limited resources to advance long-lasting structural changes that ensure a future of equitable healthcare. No current Nimble grantees will be impacted.

For Major grants, the PHPDA distributes the grant half at the beginning of the grant (the later of July 1 or the contract being signed) and half in the middle of the grant (January 1). Please see the sample grant contract for more information.

Yes. We do partially fund some grants. We have a total budget for all grants and there are times when partially funding one or more grants is necessary to fit within that overall budget. Generally, that partial funding will still be a significant portion of your request (for example, we are unlikely to provide a grant of only $50,000 if the request was $200,000). Most often, when a grant is partially funded, we ask the grantee to make the adjustments to which aspects of the program to cut from the original request. However, in some instances, we may be more directive and make a partial award for a specific part of the program we wish to fund.

Yes. If you are invited for a full application, the budget form has two columns in it, the amount funded by PHPDA and the amount funded by other sources, whether that’s another funder, or your organization’s general operating funds. We want to see the full cost of the program. If you are awarded a grant, you will have the opportunity to update the budget, including any changes to other sources, as part of the contract.

There are four main types of reports for our Major grants:

1. Quarterly output metrics reports
2. Bi-annual financial reports that compare actual to budget spending
3. A year-end demographics report, covering basic demographic information on the clients served
4. A year-end outcomes evaluation report, usually with two or three outcomes that you’ve measured

Please see the sample grant contract for more information.

Yes, you can subcontract for service delivery or other aspects of your program. If invited to submit a full application, there is a separate tab in the budget spreadsheet for subcontracts.

Yes. If you’re invited for a full application, there is a budget spreadsheet that you will fill out, which includes administrative costs. Within the budget narrative or spreadsheet, you can include information on how you calculate administrative overhead, whether that be a federally negotiated indirect rate, a de minimis administrative rate, or a more sophisticated calculation for attributing administrative costs to programs.

The service delivery must be located in King County. Clients do not have to be residents of King County. If your clinic or location is in King County, that is the determining factor.

Yes, stipends for participation are allowable. Depending on how they are distributed, we may need to add some language to the contract with some limitations (for gift cards, for example). For purchase of goods, these will generally be allowable if related to delivery of program services.

Yes. Most costs that are related to the program that are necessary for carrying out the work successfully can be included. This could include ongoing planning and evaluation. If you get invited for a full application, there is a detailed budget narrative, where you’ll explain the expenses requested and how they’re related to the program.

The request in the LOI, and full application if invited forward, is just for the one year (July 2025 – June 2026). If you get an award, there is an annual process to renew the grant up to two additional times. While you can discuss your plans for future years, this request and budget are just for one year.

The indirect rate is determined by the applying organization. PHPDA does not impose a cap on indirect rates and does not require the submission of a federally negotiated indirect rate (FNIR).

Projects must follow the designated grant period and can only run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

While it is not mandatory to name specific partners in the LOI, providing details about potential partnerships can strengthen your proposal. If agreements are still in progress, you may note that partnerships are being developed and share any relevant context.

The total award is distributed in two payments and is not based on reimbursement. If awarded a Major Grant, the contract period will be July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. You will receive half of the award around July 1st to cover the first half of the year, and the second payment in January 2026 for the remaining six months.

Yes, marketing can be included as part of your project budget to ensure people are aware of the project. In your LOI, briefly mention that marketing is part of your strategy, but detailed budget information is only required in the full application if invited.

Yes. Programs are limited to three consecutive years of Major Grant funding, but are eligible again after a break of at least one year. To apply for a grant for a previously-funded program, please submit an LOI. Note that the three year limit with a one year break is specific to a program, not an organization. There is no limitation on current or past grantees applying for funding for a new program.

Only the program is ineligible in 2025. Your organization can apply for a new Major grant for a different program.

Yes. Any given program can only have one Health Equity Fund grant at a time. But an organization may have more than one grant, as long as the programs are entirely separate.

No, prior funding does not guarantee priority. Organizations in their 1st or 2nd year of a Major Grant follow a separate Renewal process. All applications, including new ones, are evaluated on their own merits, including the project goals and the community served.