Frequently Asked Questions: Maternal Mental Health RFP

Eligible proposals and projects must have an intentional focus on at least one of the identified populations. The population(s) of focus should be the primary service population of this project or work. This does not mean that other populations will not be included or served through this work. Feel free to reach out to us if you would like to discuss your proposal further.  

bi3 will consider proposals from public entities. We encourage applicants to be clear about how private philanthropic dollars from bi3 will fill gaps or address barriers that cannot be addressed with public funding. bi3 will also consider proposals from colleges and universities, so long as the project is community focused, has community partners and resources flow to those partners.

We recognize substance use disorder (SUD) as a mental health condition. Organizations addressing SUD that have an intentional focus on and serve a significant number of Black and/or Hispanic women who are pregnant and up to three years after birth are eligible to apply.

There is no limit to the number of LOIs an organization can submit. It is unlikely, however, that bi3 will support multiple grants to one organization under the same RFP.

This RFP is open to both existing projects and new projects and approaches, so long as they are far enough in development or execution to produce measurable results within the grant cycle.

Newer organizations with at least one year of operating history and financials are welcome to apply. While the Letter of Intent phase of the process will not require submission of financial documents, all applicants invited to submit a detailed proposal will be required to submit documents providing insight on the overall financial condition of the organization. bi3 will request:  

• The organization’s most recent IRS form 990 to review net revenue, current assets, current liabilities, and unrestricted net assets. 

• Audited financials (if available) and/or financial statements (income and balance sheet) to review assets, diversity of funding streams, liabilities, unrestricted net assets, cash on hand, any audited notes, and net position (surplus or deficit).   

These financial documents, in addition to a project budget, will contribute to our evaluation of the adequacy and appropriateness of the budget and the organization’s capacity to support the proposed scope of work.   

Please note: If the organization is currently in a multi-year deficit, this may not be the right time for a partnership.  

While we do not have an organizational budget minimum to be considered for funding, we will consider how the grant requested amount compares to the overall project and organizational budgets. In instances where the grant requested amount would result in a significant increase in organizational resources, applying organizations should share how they plan to manage such an increase in the allotted grant period.  

In order to be considered for a grant, either the organization, or the organization’s fiscal sponsor must have 501c3 status. bi3 will consider fiscally sponsored proposals and projects on a case-by-case basis. Any group planning to use a fiscal sponsor should contact Jena Bradley (Jena_Bradley@bi3.org or 513-569-6633) before starting the application to vet basic alignment. 

While many broader social determinants of health are proven to impact maternal mental health outcomes, we have narrowed the scope of this RFP to focus on work that addresses health disparities and aims to make a direct impact on health outcomes. We will consider proposals for projects that combine direct health outcomes work with social determinants work.

Most of our grants will fall within the $150,000 – 500,000 range. We are not likely to award grants far below $150,000 and even less likely to award grants above the range. 

bi3 trusts that applying organizations know best what it will take to carry out their proposed work. Funds cannot be used for capital campaigns (as a primary focus – projects may include some capital if it supports implementation); partisan political work and lobbying beyond what’s permissible under 501(c)(3) regulations; endowments; or grants to individuals. Outside of those ineligible uses, funds can go toward supporting direct costs of the project (or costs the organization would not otherwise incur if the project or initiative did not exist) along with indirect costs (up to 20-30% of the requested grant amount, depending on organizational budget size). bi3 has developed Indirect Cost Rate Guidance – Learn More.

Please note: Colleges and universities are not covered by this indirect cost guidance and should budget no more than 15% indirect costs for the institution as part of a submitted budget.

While there is not a limit on the percentage of the budget that can be used for staffing costs, we encourage applicants to consider how they will sustain these staff positions after the grant period ends.  

No, there are no rules or restrictions on what percentage of a project’s budget is covered by bi3 funds. As with the answer above related to staffing costs, we encourage applicants to be prepared to address how the project might be sustained after the grant period ends.

Funds should be used to support people within the bi3 service region OR address policy at a state-level, with impact to our local community.   

Currently funded bi3 grantee partners may apply for funding under this RFP so long as the proposal or project differs from what is being currently funded. 

The Letter of Intent is meant to be a concise introduction to your organization and project, not a comprehensive grant proposal. Aligned to our trust-based philanthropy practices, we aim to save grantees from spending time on unnecessary paperwork in the early vetting stages. If, however, character limits become a challenge to sharing your idea, please contact grants manager Marian Black (marian_black@bi3.org). 

Find the full list of questions here. Please note that all Letters of Intent must be submitted through our online grants management system, Foundant, to be considered for funding. 

bi3’s vision is that all people in Greater Cincinnati have a fair and just opportunity to achieve their best health. Local, state, and national data shows that certain groups face greater barriers in making that vision a reality. 

This information, along with the characteristics of the organization, will not be used for funding decisions but will inform bi3’s understanding of the makeup of our applicant pools and funded organizations and the extent to which these are reflective of the demographics of our region. 

bi3 defines a racial and health equity lens as an approach that explicitly considers race, ethnicity, and the social drivers of health when analyzing issues, designing solutions, and defining success. This lens helps organizations and projects understand health disparities and examine the root causes of inequities to more successfully design approaches and solutions that build a healthier future for all.  

We understand that organizations may be at different phases of their racial and/or health equity journey. Organizations that have not considered health equity at any level will likely not be competitive proposals in the funding process. 

Of course! In addition to reviewing this FAQ, there are multiple ways applicants can get support from our team:  

Attend or review the recording of the informational workshop. See the RFP webpage for details.

Contact us. For general questions and inquiries, please contact Jena Bradley, Director of Community Partnerships at Jena_Bradley@bi3.org or (513) 569-6633. For questions about the grants management system, Foundant, please contact Marian Black, Grants Manager, at Marian_Black@bi3.org.  

Book time during office hours. Want dedicated time for a more in-depth conversation? Book a 20-minute slot here.  

Note: all LOIs and applications must be submitted through the online grants management system (Foundant). Due to our limited staff capacity, it is unlikely that we will be able to make exceptions to this rule or submit applications through the system on your behalf.  

Once you save the LOI in the system the first time (it can be completely blank), you will see a “collaborate” button appear in the top right corner of your Foundant screen. If you click on that button, you will be able to invite individuals using their email address to work on the form with you. Please see this article for step-by-step review of the process. 

Yes! Please visit the “Our Partners” page on our website to learn more about our current and past work and partners. 

Feedback will be included in decision-letters at both phases of the process. Due to the capacity of our staff we will not be able to meet individually with organizations that are declined at the LOI stage.