Strengthening Families and Communities RFP

The Strengthening Families and Communities funding opportunity is offered by Telligen Community Initiative, a private nonprofit foundation that focuses on improving community health outcomes through strategic philanthropic investments. The foundation originated from Telligen, Inc. and operates with a mission to support innovative, forward-looking projects that enhance health, social well-being, and educational attainment. The organization emphasizes collaboration across health systems, public health agencies, and community-based organizations to address complex health challenges through shared responsibility and integrated approaches. This grant reflects a refined strategy beginning in 2025 that concentrates funding on the intersection of social drivers of health and the resilience of youth and families. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support community-based initiatives that address root causes of health inequities and improve outcomes for children, families, and underserved populations. The program prioritizes projects that integrate physical, mental, and social health and that target structural determinants such as housing, education, and economic conditions. Specific focus areas include prenatal and early childhood health, parenting resilience, and prevention of adverse childhood experiences. Projects are expected to demonstrate alignment with evidence-based or promising practices and show clear community need, stakeholder engagement, and measurable outcomes. Funding is structured to provide up to 150000 dollars over a two year period, with disbursements occurring at the start of the funding period and again at month thirteen contingent on satisfactory progress. Funds may be used for programmatic, seed, or expansion activities that align with the foundation’s priorities. While applicants have flexibility in how funds are distributed across the two years, the full amount cannot be allocated entirely in the first year. The funding model reflects the foundation’s shift toward longer-term, more predictable support designed to produce meaningful and sustained impact. Eligibility is limited to organizations located in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Applicants must be recognized as federally tax exempt charitable organizations under section 501(c)(3), accredited schools, or public or governmental entities. Eligible applicants may include public health departments, schools, libraries, and other government-affiliated organizations. Organizations with pending tax exempt status are not eligible. Applicants are encouraged to define their geographic scope based on their project, which may range from neighborhood-level interventions to multi-county or statewide initiatives, provided there is a clear connection to community need and impact. The application process follows a two-step structure beginning with a required pre-application. This initial submission is designed to be concise and includes organizational information, project details, and a brief narrative outlining the proposed work. Applicants must provide a project summary, define up to three SMARTIE goals, explain the relevance of their work to social drivers of health, and submit a preliminary budget projection. A subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application in the second stage. The process is conducted through an online portal with features that allow for draft saving and iterative completion. The timeline for the funding opportunity includes a pre-application deadline of September 3, 2026, followed by invitations to the finalist stage on November 2, 2026, and a final application deadline of December 1, 2026. Awards support a 24 month performance period. Applicants are encouraged to engage with foundation staff prior to submission for technical assistance, although this is optional and does not influence evaluation outcomes. Contact information is provided for direct communication with the Executive Director for guidance and clarification. Evaluation focuses on alignment with funding priorities, demonstrated community need, feasibility of implementation, and the potential for measurable impact. Projects that emphasize collaboration, equity, and scalability are particularly encouraged. The funding opportunity is part of an ongoing commitment by the foundation and is expected to recur annually, reflecting a sustained investment in strengthening families and communities across the supported states.