Community Health Grant is sponsored by Health First Foundation. Supports programs addressing mental health services, food distribution, homelessness, and holistic health education for youth in northern Arizona.

A Guide for Creating Your Health First Foundation Grant Application A Guide for Creating Your Health First Foundation Grant Application This is a subtitle for your new post At Health First Foundation Northern Arizona, our mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities through leadership, innovation, and partnership.

One of the ways we accomplish this is through our Northern Arizona Community Health Grant, awarded annually to exceptional organizations who support our mission with high impact projects and programs. Each year, we review letters of intent and applications for groundbreaking health and wellness initiatives, and a strong application is key to securing funding.

To that end, our grantmaking team at Health First Foundation has compiled the following tips to ensure your application is best positioned for success. 1. Share how your project supports our mission.

Understanding where our goals align and how your project or program can raise the bar for community health is paramount. Connecting these dots helps us to better evaluate your application, and will provide you a focused lens through which to communicate your initiative. 2.

Let your passion guide you. As the saying goes, “Enthusiasm moves the world. ” It can also move our grant reviewers to fund your organization.

Include compelling facts that reflect your passion—examples paint us a picture of your impact and provide us a reason to rally around your cause. Don’t apply until you’re ready. As stated above, passion is welcome and encouraged, but it’s important you make sure the time is right for your organization to lead and implement your project.

Conducting an honest evaluation with your organization early on to ensure all of the components are in place can potentially save you headaches down the road because you weren’t quite prepared. Create a core application team. Work with program staff to confirm you’re representing the expertise and perspectives of the team who will implement the work.

Collaboration is a great asset to this process; however, it’s also important to have one primary decision maker who drives the application progress forward. 5. Include meaningful collaborators.

Collaboration plays a critical role in our ability to improve health and change lives. We want to hear about your partners and collaborators, including how they contribute to your process and will add to your project’s success. 6.

Manage time wisely. Starting the process as early as possible is the best way to position your application for success. Put a schedule in place, delegate action items, and assign deadlines.

You’ll also want time to ensure your attachments and documents are up to date; our grant application asks for organizational documents and résumés, and the last thing you want is an 11th-hour scramble gathering everything you need. 7. Keep your responses focused.

The best way to ensure our team can review your application efficiently is to craft your answers purposefully and intentionally. Brevity is key, and a good rule of thumb is to write for general understanding. Get straight to the point, rely on common sense language, and make sure every word you use contributes to directly answering our questions.

Also, please eliminate acronyms, jargon, or industry-speak—these have the potential to hinder comprehension, create confusion, and can ultimately complicate the process for our grant application reviewers. 8. Allow time for fresh eyes to review.

Another reason to budget time early is to provide you a window for proofreading and polishing. When possible, ask someone who is not connected to the project to review and provide feedback. This decreases the chance of typos and allows for an outside perspective.

Thank you for your interest in partnering with us in our mission.

In closing, we would like to recognize the excellent organizations recently funded through our Northern Arizona Community Health Grant cycle: Flagstaff Shelter Services Arizona's Children Association Creek Valley Health Clinic Northern Arizona University Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council Commencing in December 2021 for June 2022 awards, the Northern Arizona Community Health Grant cycle will focus on mitigating chronic health conditions in northern Arizona.

Such conditions, especially diabetes, heart disease, obesity, respiratory conditions, cancer, and dental disease, are significant health priorities in our region. Visit our Grant Funding page for more information.

Health First Foundation Awards $550,000 in Grants to Support Youth-Focused Programs in Northern Arizona Since inception, Health First Foundation has operated with one purpose in mind: to advance community health and well-being throughout northern Arizona and seek optimal health outcomes for all. Through the generosity of loyal donors, Health First distributes grants and sponsorships to nonprofit organizations in northern Arizona.

These awards target top community health initiatives that support the programs and initiatives achieving positive health outcomes across our state. “We’re excited to see the positive and life-changing outcomes the programs we support have on the people of northern Arizona,” said Health First Foundation Executive Director Mark Urick.

“These awards emphasize innovation and health promotion while addressing the social determinants that affect health and well-being—quite simply, we want everyone in our region to lead the best lives possible. ” The 2025 HFF Grant Recipients In its annual grant cycle, Health First has awarded a total of $550,000 in grants to nonprofits focused on projects and services benefiting youth (infants to age 18) in northern Arizona.

The programs supported by the foundation grants address a variety of areas, including mental health services, food distribution, homelessness, and holistic health education.

A total of eight organizations received grants: • Polara Health • United Way of Northern Arizona • Flagstaff Shelter Services • Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District • The Guidance Center • Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff • Arizona Food Bank Network • Northland Family Help Center “In the 2025 cycle, we wanted to invest in initiatives that make a lasting impact on our youth, helping them and their communities achieve better health and well-being,” said Urick.

“This funding empowers these organizations to provide critical services that drive positive outcomes. ” Visit our website to learn more about our mission and how you can support a healthy future for northern Arizona.

"Every Brilliant Thing" Performance Changes the Mental Health Conversation Dental Days Brings Free Dental Care to Northern Arizona Access to dental care can be a challenge for many adults in northern Arizona, especially for those without adequate insurance or the financial means to pay out-of-pocket for services.

This challenge is what the Dental Days program aims to address—by offering mobile, no-cost dental clinics, Dental Days is helping to bridge the gap for adults who struggle to access necessary dental care due to income limitations, insurance restrictions, and a lack of available providers.

Founded in August of 2022—and made possible by collaboration between volunteers, local healthcare providers, and key community organizations—the program has seen remarkable growth. The most recent event, held in December 2024, served 89 individuals—making it the most successful clinic yet.

“Every event is filled with excitement and warmth,” explains Executive Committee Member Alicia Yaeger-Booth, who has a background in public health and nonprofit leadership. “The gratitude from our patients is incredibly inspiring.

” Filling a Need Flagstaff’s Dental Days program provides free dental screenings and treatments during its Saturday clinics, which have already become a crucial resource for those in need. Alicia explains this resource is exactly why the program was founded.

“There is a significant gap between the customary need-based determinations of eligibility and actual need, and these clinics address the issues of adult access to dental services, AHCCCS (Medicaid) coverage limitations, and income barriers to oral health care,” she says. “In Coconino County, there is just one adult AHCCCS provider, and it is not currently taking new adult patients.

Plus, due to the high minimum wage in Flagstaff, a person working minimum wage may not qualify for AHCCCS. ” To ensure that the program is as accessible as possible, Dental Days holds pre-screening sessions on Friday afternoon before each Saturday clinic, allowing patients to be evaluated ahead of time. This makes it easier for those with busy work schedules to take advantage of the service.

Additionally, the team has learned to continuously improve, from refining their registration process to leveraging technology to streamline operations. Alicia explains that this growth and opportunity is made possible by support from Health First Foundation.

“HFF provided us with a little over $82,000 for supplies, equipment, and a trailer, and being able to purchase or rent what we needed helped that event take place,” says Alicia. “It’s made a huge difference in our ability to serve more people and expand to new venues.

” A Bright Future The Dental Days program continues to grow, and the team is committed to reaching more individuals who lack access to dental care. With three successful clinics already under their belt, the team hopes to eventually offer as many as 4 events per year. “We’re seeing the same people return to our clinics, which tells us we’re meeting a real need,” Alicia says.

“The stories people share and the gratitude from returned clients who have no other dental home is unbelievably rewarding. ” As the program continues to serve Flagstaff and the surrounding areas, Alicia says the team is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to every patient who walks through the door. “Our volunteers are incredible—they’re the ones who make these clinics run.

It’s really a community effort, and it’s what makes this program so special. People are eager to help because they care about improving the lives of their neighbors. ” To learn more about how you can support critical northern Arizona programs like Dental Days, contact us.

Forging a Bond Through Music Health First Grant Leads to Lives Saved Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening medical emergency that can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. Unfortunately, when it happens outside of a hospital setting, the chances of survival are often grim. In Coconino County, more than 200 people die each year from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, underscoring the urgent need for timely and effective intervention.

Experiencing a cardiac arrest can be a terrifying ordeal. When the heart suddenly stops beating effectively, it deprives the body of oxygen, leading to organ damage and death. Immediate action is crucial to increase the chances of survival.

Research shows that early resuscitation and defibrillation can significantly improve outcomes in cardiac arrest cases. In 2022, Griffith Blue Heart Nonprofit aimed to increase the chances of survival in the Flagstaff community by earning a Health First Foundation grant. The grant brought new training and equipment to Flagstaff police, enabling them to respond effectively to time-sensitive medical emergencies.

With impressive response times, police are well-positioned to play a vital role in saving lives. That’s why Griffith Blue Heart training targets law enforcement. Often the first to arrive at an emergency scene, officers are uniquely positioned to provide high-performance resuscitation and rapid defibrillation before emergency medical services arrive.

These interventions can be lifesaving in cardiac arrest and situations like drowning, drug overdose, and profuse bleeding. The Griffith Blue Heart team conducted three intensive day-long training sessions for Flagstaff Police Department officers. These sessions simulated emergencies police might encounter during daily patrols, providing them with knowledge and hands-on experience to respond effectively in high-stress situations.

Another critical component of the Griffith Blue Heart initiative was the deployment of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in patrol vehicles. An AED is a portable device that can analyze a person’s heart rhythm and, when necessary, deliver an electrical shock to help the heart reestablish an effective rhythm. These devices are instrumental in treating sudden cardiac arrest, where time is of the essence.

Through the grant, Griffith Blue Heart equipped 54 Flagstaff Police Department patrol vehicles with AEDs, ensuring officers have access to this lifesaving technology when responding to emergencies. Saving lives in the Flagstaff community has been a collaborative effort.

The dedication and commitment of Flagstaff police officers, who now have the training and tools to make a difference in critical situations, have been nothing short of heroic. Additionally, Guardian Medical Transport in Flagstaff provided valuable support to this initiative by assisting with training, registration and deployment of the AEDs, and upkeep of the defibrillators. The impact of this initiative is tangible.

The training and AEDs, coupled with the dedication of Flagstaff police officers, have already helped save at least seven lives, including an infant. The partnership between Health First Foundation, Griffith Blue Heart, and the Flagstaff Police Department serves as a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together to address a pressing issue.

With the grant, training, and deployment of AEDs in patrol vehicles, Flagstaff is a safer place to live, work, and play. The full impact of this initiative will be felt for generations and beyond. As Griffith Blue Heart founder and CEO Brandon Griffith says, “When one life is saved, it rings on for eternity.

” Advancing patient care in family residency program To help advance quality primary care in the region, Health First funded the establishment of team-based care in North Country HealthCare’s family residency program. The goal: Teach new physicians and their colleagues a coordinated approach to patient care and improve health outcomes.

Team-based care is health providers working collaboratively with patients and caregivers to accomplish shared goals and achieve coordinated, quality care. Such care works to minimize the occurrence and severity of disease, offer better disease management, limit emergency department visits, and lower healthcare costs.

A Health First grant enabled the residency clinic to explore team-care models, determine what worked, and implement new care approaches that benefit patients and their families. Residents learned the approaches and value of team care during the grant project. They implemented daily huddles to discuss patient care and utilized a new tool to identify patient gaps and streamline clinic visits.

With these innovations, patients experienced more focused and efficient care. As part of the program, the residency team established monthly interdisciplinary case conferencing to address the complex care needs of HIV/AIDS patients.

“We get together and do a deep dive into the patient – their medical history, their care, what resources they have, what’s holding their progress back, all of it,” explains Dr. Sarah Coles, the residency director. “In the end, we come together with an agenda and a care plan specific to that patient.

” One resident made this encouraging observation: “Participating in case conferencing has benefited both me and my patient. As a primary care physician, I work hard to ensure that my patients receive high-quality care. Sometimes, though, we are limited by time, costs, and competing priorities.

Case conferencing has helped to bridge that gap and improve the care patients receive. ” A federally qualified health center, North Country focuses on people who often can’t afford care at 11 locations across northern Arizona. The health center’s family care residency program is the only one in the region.

While this grant project was confined to the residency clinic and the 7,000 patients seen during the grant period, the impact will grow in two ways. First, with a newfound understanding of the power of collaborative medicine, graduating residents will take the holistic, team-care approach to their practices impacting future patients.

Additionally, North Country HealthCare plans to expand the model throughout the organization, giving all its patients the benefit of quality, team-based primary care. Filling a Gap in Mental Health Care for Children Improving mental and behavioral health is a Health First priority. We want to share with you the impact one of our grant-funded programs is having on children and families in the Lake Havasu City area.

This oasis in the desert sits in the southwestern part of our region in Mohave County, where 25% of the youth population lives in poverty. Mohave County is a significant mental health provider shortage area and has reported not a single pediatric mental health provider in recent years.

To help alleviate the need, Health First Foundation awarded a grant to Arizona’s Children Association to establish outpatient and in-home behavioral and mental health services for children and their families in and around Lake Havasu City. So far, the program has served more than 140 individuals. Robert, 15, is one of them.

Robert’s life had been a struggle from the start. Born to a mother who was misusing drugs, he had often been homeless and once took shelter in a junkyard shed. A year ago, he lost the only family member that could provide him care, his grandmother.

A friend’s mother took Robert in and sought help for the teenager suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep problems, and other issues. Arizona’s Children Association assists Robert and his new family with therapy and other needs through its expanded outpatient program. “As humans on this planet, our number one priority should be to protect our children,” said Robert’s guardian parent.

“They need to be protected, and they shouldn’t be hurt. ” Robert and his family are among the hundreds of thousands of people touched by Northern Arizona Community Health Grants from Health First Foundation. Our grants help area nonprofits provide care, preventative services, health education, and other assistance to those in need.

They are made possible through the generosity of our donors. Bolstering Nutrition and Health in Rural Northern Arizona “Whole foods are our best foods! ” They include well-proportioned lean protein, fresh vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.

Nutrition educator Cheryl Lines was addressing a group of residents in the far reaches of northern Arizona. While she spoke, kitchen helpers prepared a velvety carrot-turnip soup and a casserole made with chicken, spaghetti, tomatoes, and fresh spinach. The complimentary class is part of a Health First grant-funded initiative led by Creek Valley Health Clinic of Colorado City.

Colorado City and its sister town of Hildale, Utah, have poverty rates hovering around 35 percent. Until Creek Valley Health Clinic opened in late 2019, residents had no local primary care facility and had to drive two hours or more for specialty care. These factors left many with undiagnosed and untreated chronic conditions.

Strengthening Nutrition and Activities in our Connected Community (SNACC for short) promotes healthy eating and lifestyles. The program has reached more than 525 rural residents in its first six months with nutrition classes, recipes, and incentives like produce vouchers. At the same time, it distributed 113,000 pounds of nutritious food to clinic patients and other residents.

“Everyone is excited about the project. It’s helping educate the community about the importance of eating healthy and being physically active throughout their lives,” said Lines, a Create Better Health Ambassador from Utah State University. Her team and the local Short Creek Dream City Food Bank are partnering with Creek Valley Health Clinic to implement the new SNACC program.

Colorado City mother Marjorie Holm attended a recent SNACC nutrition class with her children. “I like to learn how to read labels, but my kids like to smell and taste all the food,” she said. “The classes give me more ideas for recipes and how to cook them.

With three children, I’m all about learning all I can about food. ” They all tried the soup, a blend of simmered carrots, potatoes, turnips, leeks, and garlic, finished with coconut milk and chopped fresh parsley. (Get the recipe for Creamy Carrot and Turnip Soup.)

Another mother attending the class was happy to learn how nutritious foods can come together in one quick recipe. “I’ve never tried chicken with spaghetti and spinach before,” she said. “It works.

It’s good. It’s always good to find new ways of cooking. ” Getting healthy foods to people and teaching them how to prepare nutritious meals are vital to reducing food insecurity and improving health, according to the nationwide Healthy People 2030 initiative.

A healthy diet helps children grow and develop properly and reduces their risk of chronic diseases. Adults who eat healthily tend to live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Health First Foundation invests in this innovative program and those like it to advance health and well-being for all in northern Arizona.

Your donation to Health First helps improve health in underserved communities. High-performance Resuscitation Training Saves Lives Damar Hamlin’s traumatic collapse during a nationally televised NFL game stunned football fans and viewers. Four days later, doctors said the 24-year-old Buffalo Bills player was making a “remarkable recovery” from cardiac arrest.

We learned that immediately after Hamlin’s collapse, trainers rushed to the field and administered two necessary interventions – CPR and defibrillation — to save his life. When someone experiences cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting, they usually don’t survive. In fact, there is less than a 10% chance of survival.

Most cases are fatal because the victim doesn’t receive prompt and efficient CPR and defibrillation, as Hamlin did. Health First Foundation Northern Arizona is helping increase survival rates in our community by providing grant funding to equip and train Flagstaff police officers in high-performance resuscitation.

The training from the non-profit Griffith Blue Heart goes above and beyond what officers receive when they join the force. Since police typically arrive at priority 911 calls before emergency medical professionals, it makes good sense for them to have the skills to respond immediately.

Survival increases when law enforcement officers know how to respond effectively in cardiac, bleeding, drowning, overdose and other urgent medical situations. “Seconds count; seconds matter,” said Lt. Charles Hernandez II of the Flagstaff Police Department.

“This training will significantly impact our capabilities and response to emergency situations. It will enable us to save lives. ” And it already has.

During two incidents – one involving a 1-year-old child who stopped breathing and another involving a man who collapsed while enjoying time with friends – Flagstaff police officers responded and started performing CPR. In each case, emergency medical technicians and physicians noted that quick action from the police officers was vital to the victim’s survival.

Health First Foundation funds non-profit health initiatives through its annual Northern Arizona Community Health Grant program. Please consider giving to help support health and well-being in our region. (This article first appeared in February editions of Flagstaff Business News and Quad Cities Business News.)

foundation@healthfirstforall. org Follow Health First Foundation Health First Foundation – Northern Arizona (EIN 81-3137336) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to advancing health and well-being.