Building a Pipeline of Primary Care Providers to Serve Diverse Communities

Building a Pipeline of Primary Care Providers to Serve Diverse Communities is sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation. This funding opportunity aims to increase the number of individuals in Colorado's primary healthcare workforce who reflect the state's diverse patient population and/or are committed to serving rural and frontier communities.

The program focuses on supporting high school graduates pursuing healthcare careers in primary care, early-career individuals seeking to move into primary care, and individuals transitioning into primary care from other fields.

Funding can be used for dedicated staffing, small capital expenditures, marketing for recruitment, paid internships, and subsidies for childcare, housing, or transportation costs, as well as scholarships or tuition.

[](https://coloradohealth. org/funding-opportunities/building-pipeline-primary-care-providers-serve-diverse-communities) This funding opportunity is designed to increase the number of individuals working within Colorado’s primary health care workforce who reflect the diverse patient population served by the state’s safety net system and/or who are committed to serving rural and frontier communities.

We define primary health care workforce as those working to provide physical, behavioral or oral health within the integrated, team-based primary care setting.

This funding opportunity is focused on: * Supporting high school graduates pursuing health care careers in the primary care setting who are not ready or do not want to attend college; * Early career individuals working in the health care field who want to move into primary care and/or up the primary health care workforce ladder; * Individuals not in the health care field but who want to transition into primary care.

Applicants may request a grant of up to $600,000 over three years. Proposed program and/or projects must reflect the Foundation’s cornerstones. These outline who we serve, how our work is informed and our intent to create health equity.

_**Si necesita acceder la solicitud de fondos en español, por favor contáctenos a**_ _**. **_ To be considered for funding, organizations must meet the following criteria: * Alignment with the Foundation’s cornerstones that advance our efforts to bring health in reach for all Coloradans * Focus on recruiting people of color and/or people who are committed to working in rural Colorado.

People of color is defined as Arab/Middle Eastern, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous/Native American and multiracial communities. * Serving at least 40% Coloradans living on low-income.

* Focus on training the following types of positions within the health care workforce who are committed to working in an integrated primary care setting: * Community health workers * Nurses including licensed practical nurses and advance practice registered nurses/nurse practitioners* * Behavioral health providers including behavioral health assistants, behavioral health advocates and others * Positions that are a springboard into one of the above positions such as a medical assistant * Demonstrate established partnership and/or a commitment to building relationships with Colorado’s safety net clinics, including for-profit primary care clinics that serve at least 30% of patients living on low income.

This can be demonstrated through Medicaid caseload, the number of patients who are uninsured, and/or the number of patients covered through Child Health Plan Plus or the Colorado Indigent Care Program. * Demonstrated commitment to recruiting participants from local communities who have a desire to serve their community after completing their training.

* For applicants focused on training physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses/nurse practitioners, preference will be given to organizations who focus on recruitment of people of color into these positions.

* Community-based organizations: * Operating workforce programs with demonstrated experience in running health care training programs; or * Community-based organizations with demonstrated experience partnering with or supporting health care training programs * Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) * Community colleges, universities or other accredited educational institutions * Partnerships between employers and schools/training programs * Safety net clinics including: * Federally qualified health centers * Community-based clinics * School-based health centers * Tribally-run or Indian Health Service clinics * Community mental health centers with integrated primary care services * Dental programs with integrated primary care services **These activities may be implemented through partnerships with other organizations that are experienced in providing these services.

** * Outreach and recruitment of participants * Culturally inclusive coaching and mentorship * Wrap-around supports for students that may include but are not limited to: * Resource and referral to services * Support for child care such as subsidies or to build partnerships with local child care providers * Stipends toward securing housing * Training for employers to support a diverse primary care workforce * Dedicated staffing to support proposed program * Small capital expenditures such as equipment or technology to enhance the training program * Marketing outreach for recruitment * Subsidies for child care, housing or transportation costs * Funds can be used to provide incentives for individuals completing training programs with priority going to lower paying positions * Scholarships or tuition **Comprehensive primary care**: The Foundation has adopted the Institute of Medicine’s definition which is “primary care is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community.

” Furthermore, integrated refers to physical, behavioral and oral health. The Foundation’s definition also encompasses reproductive health services provided within the integrated setting.

**Team-based care:**Defined by the National Academy of Medicine as “the provision of health services to individuals, families, and/or their communities by at least two health providers who work collaboratively with patients and their caregivers – to the extent preferred by each patient – to accomplish shared goals within and across settings to achieve, coordinated, high-quality care.

”There are five core principles: shared goals, clear roles, mutual trust, effective communication and measurable processes and outcomes. _We often partner with third-party evaluators, contractors and other organizations over the course of our work with applicants and grantees. Your application and its attachments may be shared with these individuals or entities during the review process and grant cycle.

All third-party organizations partnering with the Foundation have signed a confidentiality agreement and will not use or share the information for purposes outside of the scope of work specific to the grant application or grant award. If you have any concerns or would like additional information, please email or call our senior director of Grantmaking Operations at .

_ _**Si necesita acceder la solicitud de fondos en español, por favor contáctenos a**_ _**. **_