General
Q: Do you accept unsolicited letters of inquiry?
A: Yes. To submit a letter, please follow the instructions on the Making an Unsolicited Request page.
Q: Does CHCF provide grants to individuals?
A: CHCF does not provide scholarship or fellowship support for individuals, nor does it make grants that benefit only one individual.
Q: Does CHCF fund organizations outside California or make grants for projects outside of California?
A: Grants awarded by CHCF are not limited to California entities or to individuals residing in California. However, projects must have relevance to California health care delivery issues. Examples include national projects that have California-specific components, or projects that might result in insights that would inform California initiatives .
Q: What types of projects does CHCF fund?
A: CHCF supports projects that are aligned with its strategic goals. Applicants are encouraged to review the foundation’s goals, as well as the previously awarded grants, before submitting an application for funding. Most of CHCF’s grants are made through a competitive RFP process or to pre-identified organizations and individuals.
Application Process
Q: Can I submit a full proposal instead of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI)?
A: The foundation prefers to review an LOI prior to reviewing a full proposal. Follow the instructions on the Makng an Unsolicited Request page when submitting an LOI.
Q: Are there deadlines for submitting a request for funding?
A: No. LOIs are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Requests in response to an RFP should follow the instructions in the RFP.
Q: Are there guidelines for developing a proposal?
A: If you’ve been asked to submit a proposal, follow the Proposal Guidelines. These can be downloaded from the Submitting a Proposal page.
Budget
Q: Does the foundation have a budget template to use when developing a grant budget, or does it have guidelines for developing a budget?
A: Yes. Budget templates and guidelines can be downloaded from the Submitting a Proposal page.
Q: How does CHCF define indirect costs? What is CHCF’s indirect cost rate?
A: The foundation defines indirect costs as general and administrative costs to an organization that are not specifically identifiable or directly attributable to the work conducted under a funded project.
CHCF allows up to 15% of direct costs (excluding subcontracts) to be charged to a project as an indirect cost. For example, a project budget might include $10,000 for personnel and benefits, $8,000 for meeting costs, $2,000 for travel, and $5,000 for a subcontract. Indirect costs would be calculated as 15% of $20,000 (all costs except the $5,000 subcontract), which is $3,000.
CHCF’s indirect costs rate does not apply to time and materials budgets, as it is assumed that benefits and indirect costs are included in the loaded hourly rates.
Q: How does the foundation define direct costs?
A: CHCF defines direct costs as costs that are specifically identifiable and directly attributable to work conducted under a project.
Q: How does the foundation define subcontracts?
A: CHCF defines a subcontract as a contract issued by the grantee to perform work that is a definite and identifiable segment of the scope of work of a project.
Q: How does the foundation define consultant?
A: CHCF defines a consultant as an individual or an established consulting firm that is hired to provide professional or technical guidance or advice for a project.
Q: Do I need to show other project support? What about in-kind support?
A: If the foundation is asked to support only a portion of the funding for the project, the budget should have separate columns for the total budget and for CHCF’s portion. In-kind support may also be reflected in a separate column. An RFP might instruct applicants otherwise.
Current Grantees
Q: How do I log in to CHCF’s Grants Portal?
A: If you are a current CHCF grantee, your username was emailed to you. If you have forgotten your username, please contact CHCF Grants Administration. If you have forgotten your password, use the “Can’t access your account” link on the the CHCF Grants Portal homepage.
Q: How do I submit a deliverable?
A: Deliverables should be submitted online through CHCF’s Grants Portal.
Q: Where can I find reporting guidelines?
A: Reporting guidelines and templates can be found on the Grantee Resources page.
Q: Can we reallocate funds or make a rebudgeting request after a budget has been approved?
A: Budget changes that exceed $1,000 or 10% of the approved line item must be requested in writing and approved by CHCF before being implemented. Please refer to your grant agreement for details.
Q: What if a project is running behind the approved time frame described in the grant contract?
A: If you require additional time to complete a funded project, please request a no-cost extension in writing from the CHCF program staff responsible for the grant. Please provide a revised timetable for any outstanding deliverables.
Q: What if there is a change in the project director, or other key personnel, for the project?
A: Grantees must notify CHCF of any change in project director or other key personnel, and those changes must be approved by CHCF staff. This process should follow your grant agreement.