Staff Discretionary Grants

The Staff Discretionary Grants program is administered by Saint Luke’s Foundation as part of its broader commitment to addressing health disparities and promoting health equity within underserved communities. The foundation emphasizes responsive grantmaking, allowing program officers to allocate funds quickly to organizations that are actively working to improve health outcomes. This flexible approach reflects an understanding that health inequities are dynamic and require timely interventions. By maintaining discretionary authority, staff can support innovative and emerging efforts without the delays typically associated with traditional grant cycles. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support initiatives that address the social determinants of health throughout Cuyahoga County. These determinants may include factors such as access to healthcare, housing stability, food security, education, and economic opportunity. The grants are intended to empower organizations that are implementing practical, community-based solutions to reduce health disparities. Funding is generally modest in scale but designed to catalyze impactful work, particularly for organizations responding to urgent or emerging needs. Award amounts typically range from approximately 15000 to 25000 dollars. These funds are intended for short-term, responsive projects and may be used for programmatic activities aligned with improving community health outcomes. The program does not specify matching requirements, indicating that awarded funds are likely intended to be fully supportive without requiring additional financial leverage from applicants. Because of the discretionary nature of the funding, specific allowable or unallowable costs are not rigidly defined but are expected to align with the foundation’s mission and priorities. Eligibility is limited to organizations that qualify as public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as governmental units or agencies. Organizations that do not hold 501(c)(3) status may still apply if they utilize a fiscal sponsor with the appropriate designation, provided that this arrangement is disclosed to the foundation. All applicants must demonstrate a clear connection between their proposed activities and the improvement of health outcomes within Cuyahoga County, as geographic focus is a core requirement of the program. The application process is intentionally streamlined to facilitate rapid decision-making. Interested applicants must first contact the foundation via email to schedule a meeting with a program officer. In this initial outreach, organizations are expected to provide details about their mission, the proposed project, and the amount of funding requested. Only those deemed to align with the foundation’s funding strategies will be invited to proceed. Selected applicants will receive an access code to complete the formal application, indicating that submission is by invitation following initial vetting. There is no fixed deadline for submission, as applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. This continuous intake model allows the foundation to respond to needs as they arise rather than adhering to rigid cycles. Funding decisions are made by staff, and approvals can occur within approximately two weeks of submission, making this an unusually fast turnaround grant opportunity. This rapid timeline underscores the program’s role as a flexible funding mechanism for time-sensitive initiatives. While specific evaluation criteria are not formally outlined, it is implied that alignment with the foundation’s mission, responsiveness to community health needs, and the feasibility of the proposed project are key considerations. Applicants are encouraged to engage early with program staff to ensure alignment and improve their chances of success. Communication is conducted primarily through the foundation’s grants email inbox, which serves as the entry point for all prospective applicants.

Engage early with program staff and clearly demonstrate alignment with health equity priorities in Cuyahoga County