Public Health Grant Program

The Public Health grant opportunity through the Republic County Community Foundation stems from three field-of-interest funds: the Kansas Health Foundation Fund for Republic County, the North Central Kansas Health Care Foundation Fund, and the Republic County Health Fund. These funds were created in response to the Kansas Health Foundation’s GROW II match grant challenge, which aimed to build local philanthropic capacity to support health-related initiatives. The generous contributions of the North Central Kansas Health Care Foundation and the Salina Regional Health Foundation helped meet a 50% match requirement from the Kansas Health Foundation, thereby significantly increasing the endowment available for public health grantmaking in Republic County. The purpose of this grant program is to support projects that improve public health across the county. Public health is broadly defined to include the protection and promotion of individual and community health through the encouragement of healthy behaviors, lifestyles, and environments. Grants from this fund are intended to enable local organizations to address systemic health issues, reduce health disparities, and enhance overall well-being in Republic County. The funding is field-of-interest based, which means that grants are awarded specifically for public health-related initiatives. Projects may span a wide variety of topics such as health education, preventive care, mental health awareness, nutrition, active living, and environmental health improvements, as long as they align with the core mission of improving public health outcomes within the county. Applicants must complete a grant application through the Republic County Community Foundation’s online grant system. The program operates on a biannual cycle, aligned with the Foundation’s broader community grantmaking calendar, with application periods open from February 15 to April 15 in the spring, and July 15 to September 15 in the fall. The Foundation Board reviews all submitted applications and makes funding decisions in accordance with its established grant guidelines and priorities for public health. Eligibility is open to a range of entities including 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and faith-based organizations—though religious applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation prior to submission. Projects must be implemented within Republic County, and for-profit organizations are ineligible unless applying on behalf of a clearly defined charitable effort. Applicants are encouraged to reach out to the Foundation for clarification or assistance. Molly Williams, Director of the Republic County Community Foundation, serves as the main point of contact and can be reached at 785-527-9006. Her office is located at 1806 M Street Suite 101, Belleville, Kansas 66935. While the fund’s purpose is highly specific to public health, the application process is streamlined through the Foundation’s online portal and remains consistent with other community funding opportunities.