Our Funding Process
How to Begin | What We Fund | Funding Criteria | What We Don't Fund | Timeline/Letters of Inquiry
How to Begin
Generally, the Foundation invites applications for grant proposals. However, organizations that have not been asked to apply are welcome to submit a Letter of Inquiry if their proposed program falls within our focus area and meets our eligibility requirements. We strongly recommend that applicants carefully review our program and organizational criteria before submitting a Letter of Inquiry. Please do not submit a full proposal.
What We Fund
The Foundation invests in programs and projects that have the potential to improve California's systems of care for children with special health care needs and their families. Through convenings of consumers, advocates, and other thought leaders, the Foundation has developed a model of an enhanced system that is designed to address current system deficiencies while maintaining the positive components.
The model envisions a high-performing health care system that provides high-quality, family-centered, culturally competent and coordinated care within a medical home, funded by a unified, efficient and comprehensive payment system. The model also calls for an adequate number of highly trained pediatric specialty care providers; focused training for general pediatricians in the management of children with special health care needs; and widely accepted and uniformly utilized quality measures. The Foundation invests in efforts to move the system closer to this enhanced model.
The Foundation will consider Letters of Inquiry that address improving care for children with special needs in the following areas:
- System reform
- Care coordination/enhanced medical home
- Pediatric education
- Quality measures focused on children with special health care needs
- Data collection and/or analysis
- Advocacy
Program Criteria
The Foundation will consider Letters of Inquiry for programs or projects that hold promise of improving the systems of care for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN).
The programs should:
- Be focused primarily on California
- Have potential for national applicability
- Have the potential to improve the system of care for children with special needs
- Demonstrate an understanding of the complex system of care for CSHCN and builds on existing knowledge and systems
- Have potential to affect a large number of CSHCN
- Have potential for impact within five years
- Have reasonable evidence of sustainability
- Have reasonable evidence of replicability
- Present opportunities for collaboration
Organizational Criteria
Letters of Inquiry are welcome from organizations that:
- Are classified as tax exempt under 501(c)(3) or are a public or educational entity; collaborations of nonprofit and public agencies with a designated fiscal sponsor; or entities that have a charitable purpose. Letters from for-profit organizations will be considered only if a nonprofit organization serves as the designated fiscal sponsor.
- Have demonstrated capacity to implement effective, culturally competent programs; reach intended populations; and achieve clear, reasonable and measureable goals and objectives.
- Promote and maintain nondiscriminatory policies in programs and the workplace.
What the Foundation Does Not Fund
- Disease-specific projects
- Individuals
- Scholarships
- Support for candidates for political office
- Private foundations 509(a)
- Religious organizations for religious purposes
- Fundraising sponsorships
- Annual fund appeals
- Capital campaigns
- Basic scientific research
Timeline/Letters of Inquiry
If you believe that your proposed program may be a good fit with the Foundation's goals and objectives, please submit a Letter of Inquiry. The Foundation no longer is able to accept hard copy Letters of Inquiry. Letters are accepted on a rolling basis, and you will receive a response within three weeks.
Duration and funding levels for projects will be considered on a project basis.
For more information, please submit an inquiry to grants@lpfch.org.