Maximize Health Center Funding With Outreach Staff

Gaining funding for your health center has most likely always been challenging.  Securing a continuous and reliable funding stream takes time and resources.  Because many outreach services are non-reimbursable, funded through short-term grants, or absorbed through general funds, outreach programs should make health center general funding a top priority.  Fortunately, outreach workers possess many of the skills, resources, and relationships necessary to maximize health center funding.  This article will examine how outreach workers can support the grant application process, particularly for federal funds, which according to Health Outreach Partners (HOP) 2010 National Needs Assessment, are generally the most lucrative funding sources for health centers[1]. 
 

Needs Assessments
Needs assessments are often a necessary part of a grant application, justifying funding for a particular proposed project or service.  Needs assessments collect information on the local community and client population to establish a need for a particular health service, such as diabetes, new service area, after hours clinic, etc.  For federal grant applications, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are required by the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) to show “a documented assessment of the needs of its target population and have updated its service area if/when appropriate”[2].  Outreach workers possess valuable knowledge of the community and relationships with individuals and local organizations that can be leveraged to perform a needs assessment.  Ideally, outreach staff should be included in the design of needs assessments, so as to maximize the efficiency and relevance of such projects. 

Additionally, outreach staff are apt to develop and implement focus groups, questionnaires, and can provide interpretation services[3].  Because outreach workers have gained trust and access into the community of interest, they can more easily work within the community context to collect information a health center needs for funding purposes. 
 

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention in Governance
In order for health centers to apply for and receive funding, many grants (particularly FQHC grants) require a certain percentage of a health center’s governing board to be comprised of members who represent the population served by the health center.  BPHC requires FQHCs to possess governing boards “composed of individuals, a majority of whom are being served by the center and, who as a group, represent the individuals being served by the center in terms of demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, and sex”[4].  Outreach staff have special knowledge of who accurately represents the community and its needs.  Additionally, outreach workers have built relationships and trust with these representative individuals and organizations, allowing a health center access to these important community assets for governance purposes.  Including outreach staff in board member recruitment will ease the search process and help ensure higher retention rates, since it is more likely you will find board members with a true and vested interest in the client population and services provided.  Additionally, recruited community board members will better reflect community needs, concerns, and demographics.   
 

Community Collaboration
When applying for funding, health centers may successfully complete a needs assessment but find they are ill-equipped to address some of the needs identified.  Collaborating with local organizations to more comprehensively tackle community health problems is a great way for health centers to strengthen their grant application.  For example, if a lack of transportation is identified as a barrier to care in a grant application needs assessment, consider addressing this need by partnering with a local faith-based organization.  Many faith-based organizations, such as churches, often have vans they are willing to lend out for transportation to and from a health center[5].  Outreach workers are familiar with local organizations, like churches, and the resources these organizations possess.  Therefore, outreach workers are a great asset when trying to decide who to partner with in a grant application.  Because outreach staff have built trust and relationships with these organizations, approaching local groups about possible collaborations will be more successful as well.    

At first, applying for a grant can seem like a daunting process.  There are a myriad of rules, guidelines, and recommendations.  Non-administration health center staff, particularly outreach workers, are an often untapped and extremely useful resource throughout the grant application cycle.  Needs assessments, volunteer recruitment and retention strategies, as well as community collaborations are great areas for outreach staff to work in to maximize health center funding.    
 

Resources
To get started finding and applying for health center funding, consider these resources:

• Health Outreach Partners has a number of free online tools and resources which are designed to provide training and technical assistance to outreach programs.  We have a number of resources regarding needs assessment, recruitment and retention of volunteers and staff, as well as community collaboration.  Please visit www.outreach-partners.org for more information and to contact us. 

• Federal funding opportunities can be found at www.grants.gov. This website has links that allow the user to search for grant opportunities, guidance for preparing federal grant application forms, and e-mail service that allows you to specify your subject preferences and then receive notification of funding opportunities in those areas.

• The Foundation Center (www.fdncenter.org) is a great resource for foundation grants. The “Finding Funders” section of the website allows grant seekers to search for foundations by keyword. Grant seekers can also search foundation tax returns (form 990 PF), which contain information about organizations funded in the past, grant amounts awarded, selection criteria, and application details.