A. MeHAF is Maine's largest health philanthropy and grants approximately $5 million to Maine-based nonprofits and programs each year.
Q. What, specifically, does MeHAF fund? Who benefits from your grants?
A. MeHAF funds programs and organizations that seek to improve access to high quality health care for all people living in Maine with a particular focus on those who are uninsured or who have limited or nonexistent medical services because of where they live or conditions they may have.
MeHAF has identified three strategic priorities for funding that we feel will best target this population of Maine people projects that provide a
safety-net for those who fall through the cracks in our current system; programs and organizations that seek to provide an integrated approach through a focus on
patient-centered care; organizations and programs that seek to advance
reform to the health care delivery system in Maine.
Q. How can I decide if my organization or program might qualify for funding?
A. MeHAF targets its funding towards three strategic priorities. We encourage you to review the initiatives MeHAF has supported under each priority to see how your organization aligns with these targeted funding priorities. We also welcome direct phone inquiries to the program staff to discuss whether your organization or program
qualifies for funding through one of MeHAF's grant programs.
Q. What types of grants does MeHAF fund?
A. MeHAF has three distinct grant programs:
Initiative based grants which are typically awarded through a competitive RFP process to meet MeHAF program priority goals, and which range from $10,000-$150,000;
discretionary grants which support small, discrete projects or activities that advance the Foundation's mission and are typically under $5,000; and
foundation-initiated grants which typically involve statewide activities with broad-based partnerships or multi-organization collaborations and include substantial involvement of Foundation staff in shaping of the project.
Q. Does MeHAF provide technical assistance to grantees?
A. MeHAF's staff members are experts in various health care fields as well as on the continuum of health care efforts throughout the state. The program staff participate in trainings, such as grant writing seminars offered through the Maine Association of Nonprofits, links grantees to cutting edge research and best practices through grantee learning collaboratives, and may also provide suggestions for other funding sources to projects that fall outside of MeHAF's strategic priorities.
Q. Does MeHAF work with state and federal agencies?
A. MeHAF works closely with state agencies such as DHHS and state contracted agencies to develop improved health care systems and solutions for all people in Maine. MeHAF is also in a position to ensure Maine has full access to federal health programs and support. As an independent and visionary philanthropic leader, MeHAF often acts as a catalyst for change by providing the research, expertise and impetus for other agencies to learn and understand new trends as well as the impacts of government policy.
Q. How does MeHAF choose its grantees?
A. Applicants must be serving Maine people and have a program aligned with one of our
three strategic priorities or qualify for a smaller
discretionary grant. Often, MeHAF will proactively seek out the best nonprofits and programs doing work in a priority area to fund for particular outcomes. More often than not, MeHAF will require prospective grantees to collaborate on grants in order to tap a broad spectrum of program expertise, reduce redundancy of effort and deliver more comprehensive results for the population being served. Applicants are selected to receive grants through a grants-review committee process.
Q. What is MeHAF's Governance structure?
A. MeHAF has a 19-member statewide
Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that provides guidance and professional expertise to the Foundation's operations. The founding members of the CAC were selected by the Maine Attorney General after soliciting broad public input.The CAC is charged with guiding the
Board of Trustees through a periodic needs assessment and any other issues relating to the activities of the Foundation. MeHAF's 15-member Board of Trustees must demonstrate a clear interest and concern for the Foundation and its mission, applying a broad perspective on health care and society in general. Board members must also possess sensitivity to the act of and need for giving through philanthropy. Annual meetings are open to the public.
Q. What is a conversion foundation? How much do conversion foundations collectively hold in assests?
A. Through mergers, sales, joint ventures or corporate restructuring over the past two decades, the assets of nonprofit hospitals, health plans, and health systems have been transferred to establish other health care organizations. Many of these "conversions" have led to the creation of new foundations -- commonly called "health care conversion foundations." Their aim is to maintain the level of public benefit presumed to have been provided by the nonprofit organization before the conversion took place.
Grantmakers in Health has identified 185 foundations that were either newly formed with the assets from a health care conversion or received assets generated by a conversion. The Maine Health Access Foundation, the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, and New Hampshire's Endowment for Health are three examples of conversion foundations in New England. Collectively, conversion foundations held a total of $21.5 billion in assets in 2006.