Support Kansas City (SKC) is asking community members to help identify nonprofit organizations that are examples of strong leadership and quality practices. Each year, SKC highlights two organizations through its Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Awards. The awards are one way that SKC educates the community about the importance of board service and nonprofit best practices. The deadline to submit a nomination is Feb. 20.

Two agencies will be selected: One in the category of budgets of $1 million or more; and one in the category for budgets of $1 million or less. Winners will be announced on April 17 at a celebration event to be held at the H & R Block Building. 

The nomination must be submitted by a board member by completing the nomination form found on SKC’s website:  www.supportkc.org, or by contacting Cristina Vargas at 913-831-4752 ext. 109 and requesting a nomination form.

Following the nomination, an application will be provided to the agency contact identified in the nomination form by SKC. The agency contact must complete the application form and provide attachments no later than March 19. Applications may be faxed to 913-831-4707, mailed (see address below) or submitted electronically to Cristina Vargas at cristinav@supportkc.org.

An independent panel of judges will select an agency from each category based on the applications and attachments submitted.  Application criteria will be based on the Nonprofit Sector’s Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practices.

To learn more, visit www.supportkc.org

The Supreme Court has set aside the week of March 26 to hear oral arguments in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) challenge. On March 26, the Court will focus on whether the challenges to the individual mandate are barred by the federal Anti-Injunction Act. On March 27, oral arguments will center on the constitutionality of the insurance mandate in the ACA. On March 28, oral arguments will address both whether the ACA can survive if the individual mandate is found unconstitutional as well as the constitutionality of the ACA Medicaid expansion.

 A new Kaiser Family Foundation policy brief provides an overview of the pending case, the key constitutional questions to be decided, and the legal arguments made by the parties involved.

Project Equality notes: “The Diversity and Inclusion Summit brings together leaders in the civic, educational, financial, governmental, health, corporate and legal communities to discuss where we are in 2012 on the road to full inclusion, but even more importantly, what strategies will make equality and access a reality for all.”

For more information, see the flyer.  To register, please visit projectequality.org. 

Dear Nonprofit Partners: Welcome to a new year!

Last year was a busy one for all of us, and this one promises to be active as well, particularly given the increasing focus on health care and reform efforts at the state and federal levels.

One of the more significant occurrences last year was the rollout of some of the key provisions and rules related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The passage of the ACA in 2010, and the state-level activity it spawned in 2011, drove a lot of discussion and planning in our two states and region.

In our service area, there were exciting developments: new dental programs, advancement of the medical home model of care, and more nonprofits committed to improving culturally competent care and service delivery.

Within our own organization, the REACH Foundation began implementing a five-year strategic plan adopted by the Foundation’s Board of Directors at the start of the year. We worked hard in 2011 to share with our longtime partners our five-year goals and strategies, and the rationale for a more focused approach. Using a theory of change as the map for our strategic plan, we now have a framework for how and where we will make grant investments. This frame will continue to evolve as we work with grantees to achieve better health outcomes for the uninsured and low income people in our service area.

In 2011, REACH awarded 96 grants totaling $4,171,585. The declining total dollar amount reflects the lingering effects of the economy on the Foundation’s assets. Again in 2012, we have reduced our grantmaking to slightly more than $4 million to adjust for the continuing market instability and uphold our mandate as a “perpetual” foundation. We will continue to support core operating expenses for organizations we consider essential health care partners in the community, while also placing greater emphasis on advancing integrated models of mental, physical and oral health care. And, as we have since our inception, we will continually look for other ways to support and strengthen our nonprofit partners through leadership development, technical assistance and capacity building efforts such as the upcoming Nonprofit Finance Fund training, a partnership with H&R Block Foundation and Nonprofit Connect. 

Here’s how the grantmaking budget looks for 2012:

• More than $2.5 million will be allocated for program, core operating and discretionary grants. In the first week of this year, we announced $1.2 million of that amount in program grants to 14 organizations. Our next competitive grant cycle will be launched in August.
• Approximately $800,000 has been budgeted in discretionary grants. Our intent with these funds is to support capacity building, pilot projects, professional development and other activities that strengthen the ability of key partners to carry out their missions.
• The remainder of our program and grant funds will support key initiatives and projects aimed at improving the health care delivery system, such as the Patient-Centered Medical Home Initiative and the Cultural Competency Initiative.

On the horizon:  REACH will explore new initiatives aimed at improving health care access and quality in our rural counties. We also will work with some of our foundation colleagues to develop a common evaluation framework and provide resources for intensive technical assistance to improve the effectiveness of health advocacy organizations.

And finally, REACH will strengthen policy efforts in Kansas and Missouri. As advocates of the underserved and uninsured, we believe that public health programs and investments are vital and irreplaceable components of the health care equation. Reducing health disparities, increasing the availability and quality of services, and improving health outcomes cannot be achieved by nonprofits and philanthropy alone. Therefore, REACH will look for ways to advance policy solutions at local, state and federal levels.

As always, our Board places transparency at the top of our communications priorities. If you have any questions about our strategic plan or grantmaking priorities, don’t hesitate to call our professional and caring staff.  We are here to help.

Brenda R. Sharpe, President and CEO

Download the letter.

Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center opened its new $25.1 million facility last week, located at 825 Euclid in Kansas City, Missouri, just across the street from its old facility. Read The Kansas City Star article on the new clinic.

MERRIAM, KANSAS – The REACH Healthcare Foundation announced program grants totaling $1,228,654 to 14 organizations to support health services for uninsured and medically underserved people in the Foundation’s six-county service area. The program grants covered a range of clinical services and health care settings, from bilingual therapy to school-based mental health services; preventative, restorative and emergency dental care; and care coordination to assist patients with accessing needed medical, mental health and dental care. The grants align with the Foundation’s five-year strategic focus on expanded access to health coverage and care, and increased quality of health services.

The following organizations were awarded grants:

The Children’s Place / Mental Health / $108,779

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. / Oral Health / $95,000

Crittenton Children’s Center / Mental Health / $112,220

DeLaSalle Education Center / Mental Health / $75,245

Hope Family Care Center / Safety Net Services / $50,000

KU Endowment on behalf of the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare / Mental Health / $72,435

Lafayette County Health Department / Oral Health / $25,357

Mattie Rhodes Center / Mental Health / $96,222

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Kansas City / Mental Health / $104,000

Niles Home for Children / Mental Health / $89,000

Research Belton Foundation / Oral Health / $123,750

StandUp Blue Springs, Inc. / Oral Health / $63,693

Synergy Services, Inc. / Safety Net Services / $124,273

University of Missouri-Kansas City on behalf of UMKC Miles of Smiles / Oral Health / $88,680

Total Grants Awarded:  $1,228,654

Organizations interested in applying for a grant to the REACH Foundation can find information and eligibility criteria on the web site at http://reachhealth.org/grants/.

Download the press release.

Cabot Westside Health and Dental Center, part of St. Luke’s Health System, in December received top-level national designation as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. Cabot is one of eight clinics participating in the REACH Foundation’s Medical Home Initiative, and the second clinic of that group to achieve the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Level III designation, the highest recognition for a medical group. 

The Foundation’s Medical Home Initiative began with four clinics in 2007 and currently involves eight clinics working to implement medical home standards as defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). REACH provides access to individualized technical assistance through Qualis Health and its subsidiary, Outlook Associates, to support the clinics’ quality improvement activities.

Read the Cabot Westside Health and Dental Center press release.

Medicaid and CHIP, collectively known as HealthWave, provide health insurance for more than 230,000 Kansas children. Kansas Action for Children has produced an overview of Medicaid’s role in children’s health care and outlines what the state’s Medicaid reform plan, called KanCare, will mean for children.

Review the brief.

Linking Money to Mission:  A Balancing Act, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

The session will delve into how to balance your organization’s mission with its financial realities. Participants will engage in dialogue about growth, endowments, property ownership and more, and use real-life case studies with financial information to demonstrate how the choices you make can impact your organization’s financial health and viability.

Advanced Budgeting:  Maximizing Your Budget as a Management Tool, 1-4:30 p.m. (includes lunch)

The session will review key budget terms and concepts and demystify the budgeting process by focusing on common budget types.

Workshops will be held at the Kauffman Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO  64110.

Sponsors:  The REACH Healthcare Foundation and the H&R Block Foundation

TOPEKA, KANSAS – Five health philanthropies that established a fund to help Kansas organizations prepare for health reform announced grants to nine nonprofit organizations totaling $244,800. The grants were awarded through the Affordable Care Act Opportunity Fund, a $450,000 grant pool created by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, the Kansas Health Foundation, the REACH Healthcare Foundation, the Sunflower Foundation and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. The fund, set up at the Topeka Community Foundation, will continue to accept grant proposals through 2012.

“The fund is designed to help Kansas nonprofit organizations take advantage of federal programs and innovation grants that are being offered as part of implementation of the health reform law,” said Billie Hall, President and CEO of the Sunflower Foundation. “These grants will enable organizations to pursue expansion and innovation grants and funding for collaborative efforts.”

The funded organizations are:

Health Innovations Network of Kansas, $30,000

Kansas Health Institute, Topeka, $30,000

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg, $29,500

PrairieStar Health Center, Hutchinson, $30,000

GraceMed Health Clinic, Wichita, $30,000

First Care Clinic, Hays, $21,800

Flint Hills Community Health Center, Emporia, $28,500

Konza Prairie Community Health Center, Junction City, $30,000

Salina Family Healthcare Center, $15,000

Read the full press release

Access ACA Opportunity Fund information and application