Funding Guidelines

What We Believe 

Partners for Health Foundation is a community-based organization that works toward a vision of thriving communities ensuring health for all. Partners for Health invests in programs, policies and organizations that lead to healthy communities and increased opportunities to thrive. We know that everyone prospers when the needs of those who experience health inequities are recognized and supported. Through partnering with community organizations, we strive to advance health equity through learning, grantmaking and advocacy.


Using a modified version of the social-ecological model as our compass (see figure below), we seek to address the factors that influence health, from the individual level to the policy level

Strategic Plan and new Grant Process

Types of Grantmaking

Partners for Health Foundation provides funding to organizations and communities in three ways.

  • General Operating Grants: To support the day-to-day activities and general expenses of organizations. Funds are awarded to help the organization meet its overall mission.
  • Project Grants: To support specific initiatives, projects, and collaborative efforts between organizations that improve and enhance services provided to community members or communities. Funds can be used for the planning and delivery of these specific projects.
  • Capacity Building Grants: To support skill building and learning for an organization and its staff, regardless of the age of the organization. Funds are used for conferences, workshops, educational series, technical assistance, and other opportunities to gain expertise. The Foundation will also consider one-time (non-renewable) requests for support for Strategic Planning and other types of planning.

 Eligibility Requirements

Partners for Health Foundation makes grants to eligible organizations that provide direct service within these 13 communities in Essex County, New Jersey, and in Clifton and Little Falls in Passaic County.

Eligible organizations must meet all of the following requirements.

  • Not-for-Profit Organization: Eligible organizations are recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or local government entities (including schools). Alternatively, they must have a Fiscal Sponsor that is a 501(c)(3).  
  • Geographic Location: Eligible organizations provide direct service to one or more of the following 15 communities: Bloomfield, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Little Falls, Montclair, North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange.
  • Foundation Values: Eligible organizations provide services in ways that share and demonstrate Partners for Health Foundation’s values: 
    • focused on health equity
    • working to improve how services are provided, based on feedback from constituents served (i.e., viewing issues at their source through a systems-perspective or social determinants of health) 
    • collaborate with others to strengthen service provision, alleviate gaps in services, and leverage dollar and other resources
    • data driven (i.e., how will you know that your constituents are benefitting from your work?)

Review Criteria

Partners for Health staff and Trustees will use a set of criteria to review all applications in alignment with the core components of Partners for Health values:

a) health equity,

b) upstream perspective (i.e., viewing issues at their source through a systems-perspective or social determinants of health),

c) community informed,

d) collaboration, and

e) data driven.


The review criteria may include the following items.

General Operating Grants

  • Organizational alignment with core components of Partners for Health values as demonstrated through the organization’s:
    • Vision and Mission
    • Staff
    • Trustees
    • Programs and Services
    • Accomplishments and Challenges
    • Goals and Outcomes
  • Organization leadership strives to represent the target community being served. 
  • Organization has a demonstrated track record of success and/or has goals that reflect the community’s input on what needs to change so that everyone can thrive.  
  • Organization has plans for financial sustainability.

Project Grants

  • Organization’s vision and mission are aligned with core components of Partners for Health values.  
  • Organization leadership strives to represent the target community being served. 
  • Project activities and timeline will likely lead to the anticipated outcomes.  
  • Project budget aligns with scope of work outlined.

Capacity Building Grants

  • Organizational alignment with core components of Partners for Health values as demonstrated through the organization’s:
    • Vision and Mission
    • Staff
    • Trustees
    • Programs and Services
    • Accomplishments and Challenges
    • Goals and Outcomes
  • Organization leadership strives to represent the target community being served.