May 10, 2016 11:33 pm
Published by Michael
SIERRA VISTA a The Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona recently completed its first full strategic grant cycle and has awarded several area organizations and agencies more than $1 million in support of their preventative health care initiatives.
The grants range in value from $600,000 to $15,330, with most being disbursed over an extended period of time ranging from eight months to three years. All of the grants have been awarded to projects aimed at supporting community health via prevention activities, education and health care access.
Of the 12 applications that were submitted this grant cycle, nine were selected based on various criteria, such as how closely the proposed project adhered to the mission of the foundation, how likely they are to be successful at their stated purpose and if the project would include collaboration with other organizations with similar aims.
aOne of the things that weare trying to do by encouraging networking and collaboration, is to try to help identify where we have gaps and overlap, and help encourage people to work together where there is overlap, and focus in on resources where there are gaps,a said Joanna Michelich, chair of the foundation board.
While the foundation has existed for three yearsasince the old Sierra Vista Regional Health Center entered into a 40-year pre-paid lease agreement with RegionalCareathis was the first time it completed a comprehensive grant cycle.
That was a conscious decision, said Margaret Hepburn, CEO of the foundation.
It was on the advice of similarly formed philanthropics organizations that the foundation determined not to award any grants for at least the first 18 months of its existence, so that the group could, Hepburn said, afind our feet, develop the framework of how we were going to award grants and have, really, a good framework for operations.a
That does not mean the foundation has not dipped into its $60 million pool of assets before these grants were announced at the end of April. Other donations after the first year and a half were considered on a case-by-case basis, with grants being awarded to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, the Salvation Army, Good Neighbor Alliance and the Cochise Family Advocacy Center.
Hepburn said that most of those groups that applied for one of the foundationas strategic grants awere for very legitimate needs in our community.a She added, aItas very hard to say no to organizations, but the truth of the matter is, thereas only a certain amount of money.a
Those that did receive a grant will begin receiving their funding as soon as possible. aWe require regular reports, in some cases they may be in person, too.a
A total of $1,181,737 was awarded as part of the grant cycle.
While the strategic grant cycle has come to an end, another one has just opened.
The responsive-competitive grant cycle runs from May 1 through Sep. It awards smaller grants, a maximum of $5,000, with applications being funneled through the Arizona Community Foundation of Cochise.
By partnering with the Community Foundation to fund grants as part of its own grant cycle, the Legacy Foundation is freeing up its partneras funds to go toward other grants not related to health care.
aThe other reason that we did this, with the Community Foundation, is, one of the very important aspects of the Legacy Foundation is that organizations will collaborate,a Hepburn said. aSo we wanted to partner with the Community Foundation by way of practicing what weare preaching.a
The foundationas third grant cycle, for projects geared toward innovation, will open June 1.
The awarding of more than $1 million in grants by the Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona to nine area nonprofit or public service organizations will bolster their efforts to provide services that maintain a healthy community, representatives said.
We will use it for capital expansion for building improvements as we are are really overcrowded with everything we do,a said Tom Carlson, president and executive director of the Naco Wellness Initiative, which provides free medical and wellness services to people on both sides of the border through two clinics in Naco, Sonora.
Some of the funds will also go to help support the programas expanding community gardens.
aWe have been working with the Bisbee Community Gardens and one of things we are really trying to encourage is cross border collaboration so we will be expanding the garden program and bringing it across the border to Naco, Arizona,a Carlson said.
The Legacy Foundationas grant will go a long way toward helping the Fry Fire District establish a training program to prevent elderly and disabled residents from sustaining injuries from falling or losing their balance, said Fry Fire Chief Bill Miller.
Nearly 20 percent of medical service calls for the Sierra Vista and Fry fire departments last year were due to fall injuries. This money will pay for firefighters to travel and become certified to teach fall prevention techniques to residents and employees of the areaas elderly living facilities and other health care facilities, Miller said.
The all-volunteer Sierra Vista Health Advisory Committee will use its funds from the foundation to hire a part time employee to help direct the committeeas directives and activities promoting health and wellness.
aThe majority of it will be to hire a part time support staff whose entire job will be to focus on initiatives and events the committee is putting together,a said Dr. Eric Langerman, chair of the committee.
The Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization received the largest grant, $600,000 over three years, and will use the funds to attempt to develop a reliable, affordable means of transportation to medical care for those in the county with none, said Randy Heiss, SEAGO executive director.
aWeare absolutely thrilled to have this partnership with the foundation and to be funded by them. Weall use the grant to fund transportation coordination and enhance access to services people need by trying to establish intercity connections between Sierra Vista, Benson, Douglas, Bisbee, etc., trying to link those cities together in some way with reliable transportation services,a Heiss said.
Sarah Pacheco, public relations and media specialist for Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. said that the foundationas grant will help the organization better serve the Benson community.
aWe are very excited and fortunate to be chosen as a recipient of the Legacy Foundation Strategic Grant.
Complete List of Grant Recipients and Projects:
Bisbee Boys and Girls Club, $133,777.32
Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., $165,000
Easter Seals Blake Foundation, $50,000
Expansion of Cochise Parents as Teachers home visitation program
Fry Fire District, $15,330 over three years
Naco Wellness Initiative, $75,000
National Alliance on Mental Illness, $20,297 over three years
Sierra Vista Health Advisory Committee, $33,333
Hiring of a support employee to coordinate the all-volunteer committeeas efforts
Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, $600,000 over three years
Douglas Wellness Connection, $89,000 over eight months
