Application Period
The annual application period is now closed. You are invited to read eligibility criteria, find participating hospitals, and learn how to apply below.
Download the program overview
Participating Hospitals
Participating hospitals include those of Catholic Health Initiatives, Dignity Health and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. These hospitals are all part of CommonSpirit Health, which was created in 2019 when Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health came together to create a national health system.
Some hospitals located close to one another may collaborate on a single grant process, and not each accept separate proposals. A complete list of participating hospitals can be downloaded here.
Grant Award Ranges
Grant awards have minimum and maximum amounts that vary by hospital. These amounts are listed in this document and on the grant application web portal.
Eligibility Criteria
This is a summary of eligibility criteria. The program overview document contains additional important details.
- Applicants must be IRS 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, or have a fiscal agent that is a 501(c)3 organization and capable of administering grant funds.
- Proposals are for projects that address one or more significant health needs in the hospital’s most recent community health needs assessment (CHNA) or implementation strategy, with sustained project activity over the course of between 9 and 12 months.
- The program is intended both to support the delivery of services and to strengthen collaborative service systems. Consistent with this aim, proposals for grant projects of $20,000 or more must include collaborating partner organizations.
- People and communities to be served are within the hospital’s service area and include identified underserved or vulnerable populations, to help address health inequities. People to be served can include members of the community at-large, patients of CommonSpirit Health entities or both.
- Proposals are for one year periods only. Applicants can apply in subsequent years for similar scopes of work or to conduct different projects, but projects will not be funded for more than four consecutive years.
- Ineligible proposals include those for unrestricted general operating support, event sponsorships and activities less than 9 months in duration.
- The grant program does not fund capital projects, lobbying or political campaigns.
- The grant program does not fund indirect costs.
Applying for a Grant
All applications are submitted online via our grant portal, which was open from July 17 – September 8, 2023. The application period for calendar year 2024 grants is now closed. Watch this page for updates about the application period in 2024 for grant funding in 2025.
Questions and Technical Assistance
- Questions about local hospitals’ grant priorities and processes can be addressed to the appropriate Local Grant Leaders noted on the participating hospitals list.
- General questions about the Community Health Improvement Grants program can be directed to communitygrants@commonspirit.org.