Collaborative Change Initiative 

Frequently Asked Questions 

This is a list of frequently asked questions related to our 2019 application process for LAUNCH and GROWTH grants.  We will continue to update this list of FAQs as we receive questions. If your question is not addressed below, please email grants@hellmanfoundation.org.
 
Questions about Eligibility

What is the difference between a partner institution and a member of the collaboration?

• A partner institution is any organization from a particular sector. A member is an individual participating in the collaboration. For example, LAUNCH grant applicants should have a collaborative table with at least 4 partner institutions (organizations represented in the collaborative table) and at least 8 members (individuals from these organizations or the community who are actively involved in the collaborative table).

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What advice would you give to a collaboration who might be interested in responding to the Request for Information?

• We advise you to:
  • Watch the recording of our webinar which provides more information to potential applicants and you can hear some of the questions we answered from participants as well. 
  • Review all overview and eligibility requirements carefully, including the Five Phases of Collaboration, to confirm that your collaboration is eligible to apply
  • Read about our current awardees to get a better sense of what we’ve supported in the past
• If you are unsure about your eligibility, please email grants@hellmanfoundation.org to confirm.

We have been getting a lot of questions about whether a collaboration is a better fit for a LAUNCH or a GROWTH grant. Please make sure you have read through all of the eligibility criteria of both grants to make sure you are applying for the appropriate grant.

•  The key difference between a LAUNCH grant and a GROWTH grant is where your collaboration is with regard to piloting your program or strategies. If you are just starting to develop plans for a pilot or are early in the testing/learning phase, then you are in the LAUNCH phase--even if your collaboration has been working together for some time. If you have been testing and piloting a project or strategy for a while and are poised to begin scaling, then you are in the GROWTH phase.

Are there specific issue areas that the Foundation is most interested in?

• We give priority to collaborations tackling disparities in health and education, but are open to compelling collaborative projects that address other disparities in individual outcomes and community well-being.

Do we need to meet all eligibility requirements?

• Yes, due to the high volume and competitive nature of the applications we receive, collaborations must meet all eligibility criteria to be considered.

 
Our collaboration is led by an organization that is not in San Francisco County or Alameda County. Should we apply?

• No, the Collaborative Change Initiative is currently limited to collaborations located and operating within Alameda County or the County of San Francisco.  

I am part of a regional collaboration that covers multiple counties including San Francisco or Alameda County. Should we apply?

• No, regional collaborations operating in more than one county are not currently eligible to apply.  

My collaboration has non-profit and business partners, but no partner from the public sector. Do we qualify?

• No, to be eligible you must have at least one lead partner from the public sector (e.g., local/state government, public school districts, public hospitals and universities).

​I am part of a long-standing collaboration that needs ongoing general operating support. Should I apply?

• This funding is not for ongoing general operating support of existing collaborations without an ambitious plan and current activities underway for growth/scale/systems change. Please carefully review the eligibility and funding guidelines for LAUNCH Grants and GROWTH Grants to understand purposes for which funding can and cannot be used.

I am part of a collaboration with a great track record. We need funding to expand our programming to a new site. Should we apply?

• Probably not. Expanding services to a new site or simply to reach more participants will not be a competitive application, unless the expansion is strategically contributing to a larger collective goal of creating scaled or systems-level change. 

I am passionate about a pressing issue in my community and would like to pull together a collaboration to respond to this opportunity. Should I apply?

• No, your collaboration must be already formed and include at least 4-5 partner institutions with a clear strategy and a track record of working in partnership.

​My organization works in collaboration with many partners to implement our programs but not as a large table that meets regularly to discuss collective strategy on an issue. Should we apply?

• No. We applaud your collaborative approach but you are not eligible for this initiative if:
  • Your collaborative effort is focused on implementation of a single organization's activities (even if the goal is citywide scale).
  • You do not meet regularly as a multi-party table to implement strategies.

Can a backbone agency for a citywide collaborative apply even if they are doing primarily backbone functions, with the partner organizations leading direct support services?

• YES: Our hope is that the collaboration is informing and guiding the implementation of solutions including direct services. The Initiative seeks to support collaborations, not a single organization driving the implementation and scaling.

In the education realm, is a district a single partner or can different schools or administrative units within the district be counted towards the 5 partners?

• We consider the district to be a single partner and schools to be part of the district. Different schools or administrative units within the district would not be counted as additional partners.

 
I am a current/past Hellman Foundation grantee. Will that help or hurt my chances?

• No. We encourage eligible collaborations that include current Hellman Foundation grantees to apply.
• However, if you are the lead agency of a current or past Collaborative Change Initiative project, please discuss any potential applications with staff before submitting an RFI. 

 
Can you provide an example of a "one sentence measurable goal for a collaboration" as requested in the RFI? 
 Where possible, these goals should be measurable, include a proposed time frame, and give a sense of the work that will lead to this goal. Here are a few examples:   

• By 20XX, XX% of low-income preschoolers in Oakland will participate in high quality early literacy and math programs, leading to a significant increase in kindergarten readiness.  
• Over the next XX years, ABC Collaboration will transform access to prenatal nutrition, ensuring that XX% of all pregnant mothers have consistent access to healthy food.  
• By 20XX, suspensions and expulsions in San Francisco schools will decrease by XX%, through programs that provide mentoring, early intervention, and parent education. 
• Over the next XX years, DEF Collaboration intends to eliminate preventable oral health conditions among San Francisco kids by providing universal access to dental care and information.

For GROWTH grants, could this include scaling an existing solution and also expanding with additional activities that might be new to the collaborative?

• Absolutely!

Are we allowed to subcontract the grant to the organizational members of the collaborative? Does the funding for a GROWTH grant need to be split evenly over 5 years?

• Yes, we look to the collaboration to inform us how the flexible dollars will be spent which allows for subcontracting the grant. The funds do NOT need to be split evenly over 5 years for a GROWTH grant.

What are common reasons why applicants do NOT get selected for an award?

• Typically applicants who are NOT selected are not truly active collaborations do not have scalable solutions that have the potential for citywide/countywide impact and do not meet the minimum eligibility criteria (hyperlink to eligibility page). The Initiative seeks to support ambitious cross-sector that have a proven track record of working together that pre-dates this proposal.

Can faith-based organizations be considered as part of the applying collaboration?

• Yes.

Can a partner institution be part of multiple applications?

• Yes, we have found this to be true especially with large institutions (e.g. UCSF, Department of Public Health, etc.), who submit multiple applications.

Questions About Grant Structure & Application 
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Where on Hellman website is the portal link? 

• You can find the portal link on our 2019 Application Process page. 

On the online portal, is there a word or character count for each of the sections of the application?

• There are no word or character limits on the online application but we do ask that if you are looking at your narrative application as a full document (PDF or Word) that it is no more than 5 pages if possible. This excludes any supporting documents you’d like to include with your submission. (When looking in the printable application view through SmartSimple, it may be longer due to the inclusion of the eligibility survey and instructions). 

If we proceed to the next round of the application process, what will that entail?

• Please see our timeline for a list of steps.

If we receive this grant, will participation in capacity building activities be optional?

• No. Capacity building activities are a crucial component of the support we provide to awardees. Foundation staff will work closely with awardees to customize activities to ensure they meet the unique capacity needs of each collaboration.  

Our collaboration is unique and our current needs do not fit within the categories in your “Use of Funds” section. Is that a problem?

• These grants are intended to be flexible and we are open to considering costs outside those listed. However, please read eligibility requirements carefully to ensure that your collaboration is otherwise still a strong match with this funding.

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I’m not ready to apply this year. Will you be offering the Collaborative Change Initiative awards again?

• Our current plan is to provide Collaborative Change grants every other year, though that is subject to change.