Health Investment Guidelines

The Staten Island Foundation seeks to address the health needs of our community. Staten Island has the highest median income among the New York City boroughs with health statistics that are usually associated with poorer communities by public health experts. Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes rates are high. In the low income communities of the North Shore, statistics show trends that mimic New York City’s most critically health-challenged neighborhoods, with inadequate services. Good physical and mental health care is essential to the quality of life of our community. Please review the results we seek and examples of the investments we make in each of our priority focus areas below to determine if your project aligns with Staten Island Foundation's guidelines.

Results we seek in this priority focus area are:

· Increases of those at risk for health problems that connect to needed health services

· Increases in the number of residents that increase their level of daily physical activity and/or improve their diet with nutritious foods

· Increases in the number of residents, particularly youth, that abstain from substance abuse

· Increases in available health services for the least advantaged, including mental health services

· Improvements in organizational effectiveness and efficiency leading to enhanced delivery of community health services

We make the following types of investments in this priority focus area:

Direct Service:

The Staten Island Foundation invests in programs and projects that are focused on improving the lives of those being served. Examples of direct service investments in this area include but are not limited to - Health education, health screenings, disease management workshops, nutritional projects, exercise and recreational programs, smoking cessation, school wellness programs, substance abuse prevention programs, health resource and referral programs, mental health services. These one year grants range from $5,000 to $50,000.

Capacity Building:

At times we believe that making an investment to support the organizations we fund so they can achieve and sustain stronger results for those they serve, is the best investment we can make. Examples of Capacity building investments in this area include but are not limited to - training and professional development in best practices or technical assistance that helps staff deliver services more efficiently and effectively, projects focused on strategy, fundraising or other plans, and projects that enhance the organizational capacity and infrastructure of health care organizations. These one year grants range from $5,000 to $50,000.

Capital Improvements:

At times we believe that investing in capital improvement is the best investment we can make to increase the efficiency or effectiveness in your organization. Examples of Capital Improvement investments in this area include but are not limited to – facility expansion or improvement, mobile service units, technology and new equipment. These grants currently do not exceed $150,000 over a three year period and are very limited at this time.

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