Signature Grants

Signature Grants have numerous regional, state and/or national partners all focused on creating sustainable, high-impact change in one of two key areas: childhood obesity and/or the uninsured. CareSource is committed to investing in significant change in these two areas.

Signature grants: Childhood obesity

Over the last three decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number of children who are overweight in the U.S. In the 1960's approximately 5 percent of children in the U.S. were overweight. By the 90's the percentage had more than doubled, and currently over 15 percent of children and adolescents aged 6-19 are overweight. The rates for African-American teens and adolescents of Mexican descent are even higher.

Childhood obesity in Ohio

  • Almost 12% of low-income children under 5 are overweight. This parallels the national average.
  • If a child in Ohio is overweight by the age of 10-13 there is a 70 percent chance he/she will become an overweight adult. The health consequences of childhood overweight affect both physical and mental health.
  • Approximately 8% of Ohio high school females and 11% of males were overweight.
  • Economic costs associated with overweight children are increasing at dramatic rates including soaring costs for families with young and pre-teen children. Issues are more significant in the Medicaid-eligible population.

Signature grants: Issues of the underinsured in Montgomery County, Ohio

An estimated 47 million Americans—almost 16% of the total U.S. population—lack health insurance. That includes almost 9 million children. Of those, 1.2 million are Ohioans and over 60,000 are Montgomery County, Ohio, residents.

  • National surveys consistently show that the high cost of health insurance is the primary reason people are uninsured.
  • Only 7% of people in families with income over $75,000 per year are uninsured, compared to 35% percent of people with family income below $10,000.
  • One-quarter of the uninsured live below the federal poverty level, which was $10,294 for a single adult and $20,614 for a four-person household in 2006, and more than one-half (54 percent) live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
  • Critical health issues and lack of ability to pay continue to be the top reason for home foreclosures nationally and in the state of Ohio
  • The likelihood of being uninsured varies by age and gender. Men are more likely to be uninsured than women. More than 22 percent of men are uninsured, while 18.1 percent of women are uninsured. As a result, men account for more of the uninsured than women.
  • Relative to their numbers in the overall population, members of racial and ethnic minority groups make up a disproportionate share of the uninsured population.

Grant guidelines

  • Proposing organizations must be IRS-qualified 501(c)3 non-profit organizations
  • Significant conversation between the Foundation and proposing organization must proceed application
  • A minimum of three collaborating organizations must be included in the proposal
  • Signature Grants are currently funded in Ohio only
  • Deadlines for quarterly submission below
  • Letter of intent may be required
  • All successful grantees will agree to a formal year-end evaluation process
  • Preference will be given to those applicants working with populations parallel to the CareSource consumer population (demographics of Medicaid-eligible individuals)
  • Potential grantees will be required to present their proposal in-person at one of four quarterly CareSource Foundation board meetings

Grant restrictions

As a result of policy, law or funding restrictions, The CareSource Foundation will generally not fund:

  • Organizations without 501(c)3 IRS tax exemption status
  • Individual primary or secondary schools
  • Sectarian organizations having a predominantly religious purpose
  • Political parties, offices or individual candidates
  • Fundraising events or benefits
  • Individuals
  • Majority capital campaigns
  • Fraternal or veteran organizations
  • Scholarships or educational fees
  • Organizations who cannot provide adequate accounting records or procedures
  • Tax-supported colleges and universities for operating purposes
  • Funding for deficits or debt retirement
 

To apply for a grant

2012 Quarterly Grant Proposal Deadlines

  • Q1 - January 17
  • Q2 - April 24
  • Q3 - July 24
  • Q4 - October 17

2012 Quarterly Grant Award Dates

  • Q1 - February 23
  • Q2 - May 31
  • Q3 - August 30
  • Q4 - November 29