Before
You Apply
Find out if your organization is eligible to apply for a grant, and learn what types of programs meet our eligibility requirements and grant priority areas.
The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation service area is defined by a 10-mile radius around Pottstown. However, your funded organization does not need to be located in our area—it only needs to serve people in our service area.
We have two grant cycles each year: spring and fall. It is a two-stage process with a letter of intent stage and a full application stage. Letters of intent are due on the 1st of February and August. The precise dates of each grant cycle are published and updated under Grantmaking Cycles. If your letter of intent is moved forward, you will have about three weeks to submit a full application. All proposals are reviewed by the Foundation staff and Grants Committee, and then approved by the Board of Directors. We do not publish a call for proposals.
We serve non-profit organizations with a tax-exempt status in good standing with the IRS, which strive to promote priorities that are in line with our mission. Our results framework provides a model for partnering with organizations in our service area working towards long-term improvement in healthy behaviors. Key criteria for organizations applying for a grant include a governing board, demonstrated community impact, and project work plan.
Visit our frequently asked questions page for more information on the ins and outs of grantmaking. For more information about our area and the needs of residents, please reference our Community Health Needs Assessment.
Core Pillars
Grantmaking Pillars and Program Areas
One of primary ways we aim to achieve our purpose and, ultimately, our mission is to partner with organizations in the area by investing in solutions aimed at long-term improvement in healthy behaviors. Specifically, the Foundation will invest in the following two core pillars and their defined program areas:
1. Developing Youth Potential– We believe that investing in our community youth, is investing on our community's future. To that aim, we seek to invest in our community youth, especially those less served, by supporting their overall development in these core program areas:
- Early Childhood Development: providing expecting and new parents with the tools and resources to ensure the development of young children (0-5).
- School Programs (K-12): integrating best practices to promote wellness as a core component of school culture and student achievement.
- Youth Preparedness: helping youth obtain the cognitive, social, and emotional skills necessary to succeed in life.
2. Promoting Equitable Health & Wellness–In our community and throughout the United States, health equity and equal opportunity are inextricably linked. The challenges of disease and poor health in comparison to the benefits of wellness and good health are inequitably distributed among groups of people. To address these inequities, we will invest in programs in these core program areas:
- Built Environment: promoting community wellness through the development and improvement of and access to active living spaces and programs for all.
- Health Access & Delivery: improving access to affordable, high quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate care for all community members.
- Health Equity: removing barriers to health and wellness to ensure all community members have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential.
Community Engagement
As we strive to continue to serve our community as partners, conveners, and innovators, our third pillar focuses on supporting the youth potential and community health & wellness through different types of investments:.
3. Collaborating for a Healthier Future–Working with a diverse set of constituents and partners to actively work, learn, and support a healthier future for all residents:
- Community Collaboratives: working with partners to address systemic health and wellness issues throughout the community.
- Education & Learning Opportunities: providing information and training on health and wellness best practices throughout the community.
- Future Fund Development: identifying opportunities to grow the level of investment in the community and the work we support.
Guidelines for Grant Seekers
Faith-Based Organizations
We believe in the power of faith-based organizations to bring our community together. The Foundation requires any faith-based organization seeking grant funding to partner with other faith-based organizations to make an impact in one or more of our program areas in alignment with our results framework. Applications that demonstrate a commitment to working collaboratively are required. Please feel free to reach out to the Foundation with questions.
Capital Grants
PAHWF may award a capital grant for up to 50 percent of the total allowable costs of the project.
If seeking capital funding, specifically for proposals for the Built Environment, the request cannot exceed $100,000 and you must show you’ve raised at least 50% of required funds.
Capital grant expenditures may include application costs, site surveys, architectural, and engineering fees, but may not include relocation costs or developer's fees.
Other considerations for capital grants are items such as facility enhancements, equipment, and information technology costs, which would require a PAHWF capacity building grant application and a 1:1 match of funds raised at either the time of application or as a requirement to release funds.
Ineligible Funding Areas
The Foundation does not support the following:
- Alumni Activities
- Debt Reduction or Loans
- Disease-Related Charities
- Endowment Contributions
- Individual Medical Bills
- Political Campaigning
- Lobbying Activities
- Scholarships
Next Step
Starting an Application
After confirming that your organization is eligible, you can start the process of becoming a grant applicant.
