2026 Health Open Call
INVITATION TO APPLY FOR SUPPORT FROM THE COLEMAN FOUNDATION TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING IN THE GREATER CHICAGO REGION
The Coleman Foundation seeks to reduce health disparities and promote well-being for everyone in the Greater Chicago region. Between 2025 and 2027, the Foundation will invest in accessible, equitable, and preventive health initiatives. As Coleman launches its refreshed health strategy, the Foundation will review letters of inquiry (LOI) and proposals that focus on the following tactics:
- Adopting and strengthening innovative care delivery models
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- Mobile programs - Utilizing technologies to deliver health programs and services
- Microsites - Streamlining healthcare services with trusted, community-based organizations that provide other social and human services
- Integrated programming - Weaving together multiple health-related programs and services (e.g., behavioral health within primary care)
- ‘Food as Medicine’ - integrating healthy food initiatives into health & human services
- Reducing barriers to health services:
- Leveraging Community Health Workers (CHWs) – providing culturally appropriate outreach, education, engagement, and health-related services to residents
- Improving health insurance utilization – expanding health insurance coverage and/or assisting residents in understanding how to use benefits through health care navigation
- Reforming health care – advancing innovations in health care delivery, reimbursement, and payment to meet the health-related social needs of under-resourced residents
Criteria: We will utilize the following to assess alignment:
- Community Engagement – Programs that involve active participation and input from the communities they aim to serve.
- Approach – Programs that develop or utilize proven models, data, research, or practice-based experience to positively impact health outcomes for a community or population.
- Innovation – Initiatives that propose creative solutions to address complex health challenges.
- Leadership – Programs led by organizations with the expertise and infrastructure to implement the proposed work successfully.
Measurable Outcomes – Initiatives with defined goals and metrics to demonstrate results.
Deadlines
| Spring | Fall | |
|---|---|---|
| Letter of Inquiry | February 27, 2026 | June 1, 2026 |
| Proposals Invited* | March 27, 2026 | July 1, 2026 |
| Proposals Due | April 30, 2026 | August 5, 2026 |
| Decisions | June – September | September – November |
* Proposals are accepted by invitation of the foundation after review of the LOI.
LOI’s submitted after the 2/27 deadline will be considered for the Fall cycle. LOI’s will not be accepted after 06/01/26.
Review Process
- Eligibility Survey: To ensure efficiency, our registration portal will launch on January 23, 2026. We hope to streamline the process by having all applicants complete a basic eligibility survey prior to moving forward with the LOI.
- If confirmed, applicants will receive an email with instructions to create an account in our Fluxx portal in order to begin the LOI. Please note this may take between 2-4 business days.
- If not confirmed, applicants will receive an automated email noting they will not move forward.
- Letters of Inquiry: If additional information is needed, the organization will receive an email with instructions on how to provide LOI details. The LOI portal will open on January 30, 2026. We have included an outline of the questions below for your reference. LOI’s received after March 27, 2026 will be considered for the fall cycle.
- Phase One Review: If the project does fit within the guidelines, the organization will receive an email invitation to submit a full proposal. If the project does not align to the guidelines, the organization will receive a decline email.
- Phase Two Review: Once the program officer receives the full proposal, an internal review process begins.
- If the proposal is not recommended for funding, the organization will receive a decline email.
- If the proposal is recommended for funding, staff may conduct a site visit and will prepare a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors.
- Board Action: The Board of Directors meets and votes on recommended grants.
- If the proposal is not approved for funding, an email is sent declining the proposed grant.
- If the proposal is approved for funding, the foundation will email a contract to grantee.
Grant payments are made within four weeks following the board meeting at which the funding decision was made.
Eligibility & Guidelines
- Must be based in and serving individuals living in Cook County, Illinois.
- Must be a 501(c)3 or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)3 with an active memorandum of understanding.
- The Foundation will only consider one request from each institution.
- Multi-year support up to two years will be considered.
- The Foundation will not fund more than 25% of an organization’s total budget.
- General operating support will only be considered for organizations whose mission is focused on health.
- The Foundation does not fund:
- Individuals or Businesses
- Tuition
- School Districts, Schools, PTO’s, Friends of Organizations;
- Fraternal Organizations
- Endowments
- In-patient care; single-disease or single-diagnosis support
- Political campaigns or action committees
- Religious or other organizations that seek to utilize grant funds for proselytization or advocacy for any religious worldview.
- Organizations that discriminate against any person or group in their operations or activities.
To Apply
Begin the application process by completing a basic eligibility survey using the link below:
https://colemanfoundation.fluxx.io/apply/health
If you are invited to submit a letter of inquiry, you will receive an email containing your login information and a link to set up your password (if you do not have a current account in our system).
LOI Outline
In providing an outline of the LOI below, our goal is that you can make an informed decision whether applying for a grant from The Coleman Foundation is aligned to your organization’s mission or project goals. Please note that the wording and order of some questions may shift before the application launches*.
- General Information: Title, type of support requested, amount requested, start date, end date, region served; program setting.
- Mission: Limit of four sentences
- Project Overview: No more than two paragraphs
- Population and Communities Served: 250 words or less
- Proposal Summary: 750 words or less
- High Level Outcomes: Bulleted List
- Organizational Financial Summary: Revenue, expenses, financial narrative
Required Attachments for LOI
- Organizational budget for previous and current fiscal year.
- Itemized project budget and narrative with amount of funds requested from the Coleman Foundation and other sources, the proposed uses, and time period.
- Organizations must submit their most recently audited financial statements with certification (must be within the last two years).
Frequently Asked Questions
For troubleshooting support and general alignment questions please contact [email protected].
- Average Grant Awards
- There are no set ranges for grant awards. Please assess your organization’s programmatic needs and review our website to determine a request amount that aligns to your proposed efforts.
- Current Grantee Partners
- If you received a health grant from the Foundation in June 2025 (no other date), you do not need to submit an LOI.
- If you received a health grant from the Foundation in the fall of 2025, you are eligible to submit an LOI.
- Previous Grantee Partners
- If you have received a grant from the Foundation at any time in the past, you are eligible to submit an LOI.
