Healthcare Initiative Foundation

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FY27 Fall Grant Cycle: Thursday, October 1 at 8 AM to Thursday, October 15 at 5 PM ET.

Can we apply?The grant year

The FY27 grant year

Grants

The annual grant cycle allows for multiple proposals to be considered at once, giving the Foundation's board a clearer picture of Montgomery County's health and wellness and organizational capacity needs. This also lets prospective applicants know when to prepare applications and when to expect decisions.

October 1 to 15, 2026

FY27 Fall Grant Cycle

Opens
Closes
Review
The staff and Board will review applications through November.
Decisions
Partners will be notified in early December. All applicants receive a notification from HIF.

Can we apply? Open the grant portal

Grant Calendar

  1. The FY27 Fall application is posted in Word
  2. Grant orientation on Zoom
  3. The recorded grant orientation
  4. Grant orientation on Zoom
  5. The Fall Grant Cycle opens in Foundant
  6. The Fall Grant Cycle closes
  7. The staff and Board review applications
  8. Partners are notified in early December
  9. The Spring Grant Cycle (estimated)
  10. The Brooks Saltsman Award, each spring
  11. The FY27 grant year ends

Before you apply

Five things to do first

  1. Attend a grant orientation

    FY27 Fall Grant Cycle Orientation Sessions will occur virtually on September 9, September 18, and September 24. Attendance at one of these trainings is required for application eligibility. All trainings will take place on Zoom. The September 18th training was recorded and viewing this recording will count towards 'attendance.'

    The September 18 recording

  2. New to HIF? Set up a site visit

    If an organization has no previous grant history with HIF, it is required that they set up a site visit (in person or virtual) with a member of the HIF Team. This allows the Foundation to better understand an organization's work and relationship to our mission.

    Email Jess.Fuchs@hifmc.org.

  3. Read the application and gather the checklist

    We encourage partners to take advantage of the application in advance to review questions and required documents in advance of the portal opening on October 1.

    FY27 Fall Grant Cycle Application Word, 101 KB

    The application checklist
    • If your organization has not submitted an application the last three years, contact HIF to set a time to talk.
    • Attend annual Grant Application Orientation
    • 501c3 IRS Determination Letter. If partnering with a fiscal sponsor, the sponsoring organization needs to supply this.
    • Most recently completed Year End Audited Statements
    • MOU, if applicable to your project
    • Project Budget in HIF Budget Spreadsheet
    • Current fiscal year organizational budget
    • If requiring a fiscal sponsor, see separate list of requirements

    If applicable, fiscal sponsorship partnership documents:

    • Fiscal sponsor organization name and point of contact
    • Letter of Support from fiscal sponsor on their letter head
    • Fiscal sponsor's current fiscal year organizational budget. Applying organization's budget is still required.
    • Fiscal sponsor's IRS Determination Letter

  4. Build the budget in HIF's template

    Using the HIF provided budget is required. The template includes an example of a complete budget on the second tab of the document. Please note, HIF is committed to supporting livable wages in Montgomery County, Md through our grant investments.

    HIF Budget Template, FY27 Excel, 185 KB

  5. Find your organization's Foundant account

    In an effort to make the grant process easy and accessible for all grant partners, Healthcare Initiative Foundation uses an online grant portal called Foundant. Before starting an application, please first ensure that your organization does not already have a profile.

    Open the grant portal

A full room of community partners at tables during the Community Navigation Summit
Community partners at the Community Navigation Summit, The Universities at Shady Grove, June 20, 2023
The Youth Behavioral Health breakout: women around a table in conversation
The Youth Behavioral Health breakout at the 50th Anniversary breakfast

Funding focus areas

Five focus areas for FY27

We have also identified Focus Areas for our funding for the FY27 grant cycles. Note: Vision Care was previously its own focus area. Projects addressing Vision Care will now apply under Primary Care Services.

  • Primary Health

    HIF's overarching goal is to enhance care delivery and reduce barriers to access to primary care.

    Example indicator

    Number of clients/participants served who report having, or who were connected to, an ongoing primary care provider

    14 FY26 grants

  • Maternal Health

    HIF's overarching goal is to improve maternal health outcomes through improved maternal care before, during, and after pregnancy.

    Example indicator

    Number of clients/participants served who began prenatal care in the first trimester, or who completed a referral to prenatal or postpartum care

    5 FY26 grants

  • Behavioral/Mental Health

    HIF's overarching goal is to expand access to and utilization of behavioral health services.

    Example indicator

    Number of clients/participants served with an improved score on a screening tool from intake to follow-up, or who report knowing where to go for help if needed

    10 FY26 grants

  • Dental

    HIF's overarching goal is to reduce barriers to dental health, with the goal of access to and use of ongoing dental care and follow-up as appropriate.

    Example indicator

    Number of clients/participants served who completed a follow-up dental visit, whether from an internal treatment plan or an outside referral

    3 FY26 grants

  • Chronic Disease (Diabetes & Hypertension)

    HIF's overarching goal is to enhance screening, treatment, and care for chronic illness.

    Example indicator

    Number of clients/participants served with controlled blood pressure or A1c at last recorded visit, or who report knowing their status and having a plan to manage it

    New in FY27

Fall or spring

Which cycle fits

Organizations should choose a grant cycle based on timing that works best with the implementation period of the program. Organizations should also consider when the program/project will be initiated. For example, if your work will not begin until a new school year, the Spring Grant Cycle might be the best option.

Organizations can only receive funding once in a fiscal year. However, for the FY27 Grant Cycle, if an organization applies for a FY27 Fall Grant and is denied, that organization is PERMITTED to apply again in the FY27 Spring Grant Cycle BUT must apply for a different program/project.

Check which cycle your organization can apply in

Other HIF funding

Also from HIF

  • By invitation

    Small Grants

    Small Grant applications will be available by invitation from the Foundation on a rolling basis throughout the year.

  • By invitation

    Emerging Needs

    If there is an emerging need in Montgomery County, MD outside of our typical grant cycle, please reach out to an HIF staff member to discuss the possibility of applying for an Emerging Needs application.

  • Each spring

    Brooks Saltsman Award

    In honor of her legacy, each Spring the Foundation awards a small grant to a nonprofit emulating her a strong commitment to volunteer service in the health and wellness field.

    About Brooks Saltsman and the recipients

FY27 documents

The year's documents

Grant Guidelines and Priorities Every document

Asked most

Common questions

Is there a cap for our funding request?

There is no cap for the funding request.

Is the funding period for one full year from the start of the award?

Yes, the award, whether in the fall or spring, is a 1-year grant award from the time of the grant agreement execution.

Does HIF allow organizations who are not yet 501c3 nonprofits to apply with a Fiscal Sponsors?

Yes, if an organization currently operating in Montgomery County does not yet have its 501c3 nonprofit status, they can partner with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor. The application will require additional information from both the applying organization and the 501c3 fiscal sponsor. The organization on the application should still be the one requesting the funding.

What is the timeline for award notification?

The grant application will open on October 1 and will close on October 15, 2026. The staff and Board will review applications through November. Partners will be notified in early December. All applicants receive a notification from HIF.

All 19 answers

Systematic, not rigid

The approach is intended to be systematic rather than rigid. If it poses a genuine hardship for your organization, please contact the Foundation at Communication@hifmc.org.