Organizations may submit grant applications at any point during the year. Funding decisions are made quarterly. Applications submitted by January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1 will be considered during that quarter.

Applicants can generally expect to receive a decision no later than the end of the quarterly review period. The timeline may vary depending on the funding request and whether additional information is needed.

After you submit your application, the Create Healthy team will review it for completeness, eligibility, alignment with our funding priorities, and potential community impact.  We may contact you with questions, request additional information, or invite you to discuss the proposal in greater detail.

After staff review, applications are reviewed by the Grants Council, made of community volunteers. On their recommendation, applications are forwarded to the Create Healthy volunteer Board of Directors, which makes all funding decisions.

Create Healthy supports organizations and projects serving residents of Gillespie, Blanco, Llano, and Mason counties, as well as the town of Comfort.

Organizations may be based outside this service area, but the proposed project must directly benefit residents within the Create Healthy service area. Requests that do not serve Create Healthy’s geographic area are generally not eligible for funding.

Eligible applicants must be either:

• A nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization
• A public entity, such as a school district or other qualifying public organization

Organizations with other tax classifications, including 501(c)(6) and 501(c)(19) organizations, are not eligible. Organizations that are unsure about their eligibility should contact the Create Healthy grants team at Grants@CreateHealthy.org before beginning an application.

Create Healthy considers applications to support both program-related operating expenses and capital requests.

Operating support may include expenses directly connected to a specific program or service, such as staffing, supplies, outreach, or service delivery. Capital support may include construction, renovation, equipment, or facility improvements.

All requests should clearly explain how the funding will advance one or more of Create Healthy’s priority areas: mental health, early childhood development, healthy living, health education, or food security and serve residents in Create Healthy’s geographic area.

Organizations should prioritize the request that represents their most immediate need and strongest opportunity for community impact.

Create Healthy may consider more than one request from an organization. Applicants should contact the Create Healthy grants team at Grants@CreateHealthy.org before submitting multiple applications during the same funding cycle. This allows us to discuss the requests and determine the best approach.

A declined application does not prevent an organization from seeking funding in a future grant cycle.

Before reapplying, we encourage applicants to contact the Create Healthy grants team at Grants@CreateHealthy.org to discuss whether additional information is needed or whether a future funding cycle would be a better fit.

Organizations with a current or recently completed Create Healthy grant may be considered for additional funding at any point.

Reporting requirements will be outlined in the grant agreement and may vary based on the size, purpose, and duration of the grant award.

Funded Partners should be prepared to report on:

• How grant funds were used
• Progress toward the stated goals and measurable targets
• The number and population of people served
• Project successes, challenges, and lessons learned
• Any significant changes to the approved budget, timeline, or project
• Plans for sustaining the work after the grant period

Funded Partners may also access a partner toolkit to aid in communicating Create Healthy’s support and promote the grant’s impact. Create Healthy may also request photographs, participant stories, or other materials that help demonstrate the grant’s impact. Funded Partners should obtain appropriate permission before sharing identifying information or images. Funded partners should recognize Create Healthy in their promotion of funded projects and programs. Create Healthy may request permanent signage in recognition of the funding.

The application requests the organization’s most recent audit, financial review, or compilation report. If your organization is not required to complete an audit, you may submit the most recent review or compilation prepared by a qualified accounting professional.

If none of these reports is available, contact the Create Healthy grants team at Grants@CreateHealthy.org before submitting your application.

Impact area measurable targets are the specific, trackable results your organization expects to achieve with the grant.

A strong target identifies what will change, how much progress is expected, who will benefit, and when the result will be achieved. Targets may measure services delivered, participation, knowledge, behavior, health outcomes, or another meaningful result. Select targets that are meaningful to your work and realistic within the proposed budget and timeline. Contact the Create Healthy grants team at Grants@CreateHealthy.org to discuss specific questions around measurable targets.

A Project Funding Plan and Timeline explains how the full project will be financed and when its major activities will occur.

The funding plan should identify:

• The total cost of the project
• The amount requested from Create Healthy
• Funding already secured and the sources of that funding
• Pending requests to other funders
• Contributions from the organization
• In-kind support or partner contributions
• Any remaining funding gap

The timeline should show the major stages of the project, including anticipated start and completion dates, key activities, milestones, purchases, construction phases, program delivery, and evaluation or reporting.

The document does not need to follow a specific format. A table, spreadsheet, calendar, or simple list of milestones is acceptable as long as it clearly shows how and when the project will move forward.