Kansas Innovation Fund

Kansas Innovation Fund is sponsored by Kansas Health Foundation. This fund provides mini-grants to eligible Kansas nonprofits to test innovative ideas that address health and health equity. It aims to support new strategies to solve complex issues related to the underlying factors causing poor health outcomes and health disparities.

Kansas Innovation Fund - Kansas Health Foundation Welcome to the Kansas Health Foundation website! If you truly want to see how KHF spends its time, energy and resources, we invite you to view the active initiatives happening throughout Kansas. To make progress on health in our state, we must focus on the major health challenges facing our communities.

Learn about how we're working directly with the communities experiencing the greatest health disparities. How do we view policy change? Learn more about how our work focuses on both participation and position.

Learn more about what opportunities mean at KHF, including for both funding and participation. Opportunities Learn more about what opportunities mean at KHF, including for both funding and participation. At any given time, we may have multiple available opportunities.

This could include grants, sponsorships or when we seek your opinions. View Current Opportunities Current Opportunities At any given time, we may have multiple available opportunities. This could include grants, sponsorships or when we seek your opinions.

Want to see our latest news releases? Interested in insights and opinions from our team members? This is the place to find it all!

All Want to see our latest news releases? Interested in insights and opinions from our team members? This is the place to find it all!

See the latest news releases from KHF, including information on initiatives, opportunities and people. News See the latest news releases from KHF, including information on initiatives, opportunities and people. Want to know about the impact our partners are having across the state?

Here, we try and share stories of impact and effort taking place each day. Stories Want to know about the impact our partners are having across the state? Here, we try and share stories of impact and effort taking place each day.

The Kansas Health Foundation published Leading Health in 2025. Today, this companion podcast will help break down key concepts in the book and introduce actionable ways we can work together to make a real impact on Health in Kansas. Podcast The Kansas Health Foundation published Leading Health in 2025.

Today, this companion podcast will help break down key concepts in the book and introduce actionable ways we can work together to make a real impact on Health in Kansas. See a high-level overview of our work, our strategies, our team and our history. Who We Are See a high-level overview of our work, our strategies, our team and our history.

Learn more about the people that make KHF a place of both impact and enjoyment. Our Team Learn more about the people that make KHF a place of both impact and enjoyment. We try to always be effective stewards of the KHF endowment.

Learn more about our finances and how they're managed. See Financial Information Financial Information We try to always be effective stewards of the KHF endowment. Learn more about our finances and how they're managed.

Check here to see of any job postings and more information about working with us. Careers Check here to see of any job postings and more information about working with us. We are working to enable language changes across our entire site for our community.

For now, this feature is available on this page! Are you a visionary, a problem solver, or someone who is passionate about creating positive change in your community? Is your organization open to exploring new strategies and taking bold steps toward innovation?

Have you come across ideas or projects from community members, youth or nonprofit staff that you are eager to implement but lack the necessary resources? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we invite you to consider applying for the Kansas Innovation Fund. KHF will provide up to $5,000 for each approved idea/project.

Our goal is to provide a funding opportunity for nonprofits looking to explore new strategies to solve complex issues. How the opportunity works To enable eligible Kansas nonprofits to test innovative ideas to address health and health equity, KHF is providing mini grants of up to $5,000 .

The mini grants will support a range of ideas from different sectors that address the underlying factors causing poor health outcomes and health disparities.

Any eligible 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, or church in Kansas classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, not a “supporting organization” described in Section 509(a)(3), and not a “private foundation” as defined in Section 509(a), may submit projects. Applying organizations must have their independent 501(c)(3). Fiscal sponsorships are not permitted with this grant program.

This is an open opportunity. The program will remain available until funds for the year are exhausted. Applications will be reviewed monthly, and funding decisions will be made within a 12-week period.

If your organization receives a mini grant, you will receive an award letter so you can start implementation right away. Please note the following: Organizations may only be awarded one Kansas Innovation Grant per year. Funding must be for a new project, rather than going toward existing operations or programming.

Funding must NOT be utilized for capital campaigns (directly or as an indirect contribution), new building construction or any other construction projects, operating deficits or retirement of debt, endowment programs, real estate acquisitions, lobbying efforts, individual medical care, medical equipment or supplies, medical research, private education or scholarships, or grants to individuals.

We will evaluate submissions based on how well they fit into our strategic framework . Criteria for Grant Selection Does your funding request: Make it possible for more Kansans to have the opportunity to live a healthy life, or improve overall health? Propose a new and innovative project for your organization?

Benefit Kansans or Kansas communities? NOTE: Priority will be given to applications that are aligned with KHF’s current Issue Mobilization effort – Upward Mobility. We define Upward Mobility as the ability to stabilize, thrive and make choices over time, without losing connection to culture, community or self.

We want every Kansan to have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their starting point in life. Examples of possible submission ideas The list of possible ideas is endless, but to help organizations as they consider their applications, here are a few ideas to help during the brainstorming phase: An inner-city church uses funds to host a workshop educating local residents about the pitfalls of payday lending and title loans.

An elementary school working with a pediatric therapy group uses funds to create/retrofit a space where children experiencing anxiety can deescalate conflict. A nonprofit struggling with yearly fundraising uses grant dollars to learn more about creating a social enterprise model for sustainability. A community organization focusing on expanding the number of summer meal sites and considers mobile alternatives within the community.

A local nonprofit using funds to broaden community meal programs by offering engaging learning activities for children, financial aid training/legal advice for caregivers, or both at the same time! A local restaurant owner partnering with a local church to open the church kitchen as an incubator for small, local entrepreneurs with a focus of determining what it would take to achieve “commercial kitchen” certification.

To apply, please scroll down on this page and complete the application form. Before you begin completing the form, please note the following: The application cannot be saved once started, so we recommend preparing a Microsoft Word document in advance for offline reference. You will be asked to upload a copy of your IRS determination letter in PDF format .

This is a letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service confirming your organization’s non-profit status/tax exemption. Please have this letter ready prior to entering your application information. One of the questions on the application form asks for which regions of Kansas will be served by the initiative.

For the purpose of this application, please refer to the Economic Development Districts outlined by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Which counties fall into which regions are indicated on this map . Beware of timing out of the form.

Once you begin a form submission, the form “times out” after three (3) hours if not submitted. You must have the contact information of a legally authorized signatory for the applying organization. Signing authority is restricted to an organization’s CEO, President, Executive Director or School District Superintendent.

Please have your legally authorized signatory’s name, title, and e-mail address ready and available. When the application form is complete, please hit the “Submit” button. You will receive a confirmation after submission.

Questions regarding eligibility and criteria should be directed to the Grants & Contracts Manager at applications@khf. org . For technical support, please contact the Business Intelligence Manager at help@khf.

org . We envision a culture in which every Kansan can make healthy choices where they live, work and play. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)