How To Apply for Funding

Projects must:

• Be evidence-based, promising or best practices as the basis for projects,
• Apply a social determinants of health framework,
• Align with hospital's triennial community health need assessment priorities, and/or an existing community health improvement plan, and
• Include routine performance reporting and program evaluation.

There are currently no open requests for proposals for Better Together grants.

Community Benefits Investments are awarded to organizations for initiatives that intend to generate a measurable impact. Funding will be awarded based on how well the initiative intends to strengthen social, health, economic, and environmental conditions to improve the health of our community. The initiative must also address one or more priority health needs identified in Baystate Health’s community health needs assessment and will require annual performance and impact reporting.

Community Benefit Investments are typically for one year and do not exceed $5,000.

Limitations

Baystate Health’s fiscal year is from October 1 – September 30. We will not consider more than one application per our fiscal year period from any single non-profit organization. Organizations that have received a Better Together Grant are not eligible for additional funding support until the following fiscal year. 

Community Sponsorships support organizations for one-time events or activities that intend to provide positive public awareness of Baystate Health and its services and/or programs. We embrace opportunities to build meaningful relationships between our community partners, our 12,500 team members, and our patients and families. Sponsorships must also align with one or more priority health needs identified in Baystate Health’s community health needs assessment.

Community sponsorships do not exceed $5,000.

Corporate Sponsorships are financial investments greater than $10,000 that are designed to increase our brand awareness and improve the goodwill of Baystate Health as part of our overarching marketing and community relations strategy. We do not accept unsolicited requests or proposals for corporate sponsorships and prefer to take a more proactive role in identifying the organizations, initiatives, and events that best align with our mission, brand, and strategy.

To be considered for funding, requesting organizations must:

• be recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or have a fiscal sponsor that is tax exempt certified,
• be located in or primarily provide services in a community where Baystate Health or an affiliate hospital is located,
• submit a completed application through our online system and provide all other requested documentation. Requests must be submitted online, and Baystate Health and affiliated hospitals will not respond to written inquiries seeking funding support.

Baystate Health does not support the following types of organizations and requests, even if an applicant meets all other eligibility criteria outlined above:

• Annual memberships and annual appeals  
• Capital campaigns  
• Endowments
• Faith based or religious organizations (direct service programs that serve people of all faiths and backgrounds may be eligible)
• Fraternal, labor and political organizations
• Golf tournaments
• Individuals  
• Lobbying groups