Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants Program is designed to support communities and organizations statewide that focus on oral health promotion and dental disease prevention programs serving children and youth (this includes programs serving pregnant mothers and children and youth through age 18).

Supporting programs and services promoting good oral health practices and increasing access to safe and effective preventive measures is the goal of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants Program. Community Grants are funded through the Foundation’s outreach efforts, working to raise awareness and financial support from the general community, businesses, and employees.  It is the intention that this funding will:

• Help translate proven approaches into greater and more widespread practice;
• Foster innovative projects and programs, paving the way for new and creative approaches toward positive impact;
• Identify more effective ways to increase access to care, reaching low-income and underserved children and youth;
• Promote collaboration across a wide range of health providers in Arizona;
• Encourage and advance the integration of oral health and overall health.

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.

 

1. Increased Access to Preventive Dental Health Services
   Grants are considered for programs providing direct prevention services, oral health instruction, screenings, exams, education and/or training. These funds are not intended for restorative dental services (that is, the grant funds are not for fixing decayed teeth).
2. II. Community-Based Groups, Coalitions, and Partnerships Addressing Local Oral Health Projects
   These grants can cover staffing and other costs for local, collaborative groups/coalitions offering oral health community activities.

Examples of eligible programs in these areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Programs serving pregnant mothers specific to their oral hygiene
• Programs providing oral health instruction and services to parents/caregivers for infant dental care
• Programs increasing knowledge, awareness and/or screening youth for oral cancer
• Programs improving the oral health literacy of underserved populations and communities
• Fluoride varnish and dental sealant programs
• Innovative oral health strategies for reaching uninsured children (ages 18 and under)
• Support for community health workers providing oral health instruction, education and screenings
• Programs offering oral health instruction, education and training
• Programs addressing early childhood dental care
• Programs training health care providers of all ranges and disciplines to provide applicable oral health services for children from birth to three years old
• Programs promoting visits to the dentist by age one

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.

 

The Foundation funds public schools, federally recognized Indian tribes and their component agencies, and can make grants to governmental entities.  Faith based organizations that are registered charities or incorporated not-for-profits, are eligible to apply for Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation funding provided the program or project is not religious in nature.  The Foundation will consider grant requests from organizations in Arizona that have certified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS and are in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission.  

In general, Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation favors grant requests that incorporate some or all of the following elements:

• Organizations demonstrating operational and financial stability
• Programs actively collaborating when appropriate among organizations, schools, dental and/or healthcare providers
• Programs demonstrating inclusion of diverse groups and cultural issues
• Programs demonstrating and reporting measurable outcomes

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.

 

• Individuals
• Sponsorship or attendance at conferences
• Religious activities
• Reduction of organizational debt
• Direct lobbying or influencing of elections
• Unnecessary duplication of existing services
• Fundraising campaigns and expenses

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.

 

Organizations may apply for one-year grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000. The Foundation provides the following types of support:

Program, Capital, Equipment/Supplies, Salaries, Continued Support
Matching/Challenge Support, Seed Money

Matching Grants – Potential grantees are encouraged to let the Foundation know if a portion of the grant they are applying for will be met with a match by the applicant organization or a separate funder/donor.  Matching funds are NOT required, but may be looked upon favorably by the grants committee. 

Contingent Grants – The Foundation may designate a particular grant a "Contingent Grant" meaning the grant funds would be approved and released contingent on certain conditions being met, set by the Foundation. (e.g. An organization applying for funding for two events, may receive approval of the grant, with the second portion of funding designated as contingent, based upon a successful outcome of the first event.)

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.

 

October 1,  2011
Grant cycle open to applicants

November 1,  2011
Deadline for letters of inquiry

November 9, 2011
Technical Assistance Workshop for invited applicants

December 1, 2011
Grant applications due to Delta Dental of AZ Foundation
(upon invitation only)

 

The Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation is moving to a two-step application process, beginning with a required one-page letter of inquiry (LOI). 

A one-page letter of inquiry must be submitted to the Foundation between October 1, 2011 and November 1, 2011.  Please note:  Due to this year’s compressed Grant Cycle Timeline (see below), please submit letters of inquiry as soon as possible in order to allow the applying organization adequate time for full proposal preparation. 

All letters of inquiry will be reviewed immediately to determine if they fall within the Foundation’s grant making guidelines, and every effort will be made to respond to the potential applicant within three working days. 

Letter of Inquiry Instructions

Letters of Inquiry should be kept to one page (no attachments please), using no smaller than 11 point font, and include the following:

• A brief statement of the issue(s) to be addressed, and your organization’s background and involvement with these issues;
• A brief summary of the activities for which you are requesting support, including your objectives, and anticipated outcomes and implications;
• An explanation of how the proposed project meets the Foundation’s funding criteria of improving oral health for Arizona’s underserved and uninsured populations;
• The approximate starting date and duration that the funding will cover;
• The total project budget, and the amount requested from the Foundation;
• Contact information for the organization/project, including email and telephone number(s).

Applications

Following the submission of the required letter of inquiry, full applications will be accepted by invitation only. Because the foundation requests more applications than it can fund, a request for proposal should not be interpreted as an indication of likely support. 

As part of our 2012 Community Grants Cycle, those invited to submit a full application for funding, will be encouraged to attend a Technical Assistance Workshop to be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation offices in Glendale.  The workshop will also be available via webinar. The Technical Assistance Workshop is encouraged, but not required. 

Late letters of inquiry or applications will not be accepted.

Please submit one electronic copy of your letter of inquiry in a Word document between October 1, 2011 and 5:00 p.m. on November 1, 2011.  No attachments will be accepted with the letter of inquiry.

Please note that although we accept letters of inquiry throughout the month of October, we strongly encourage applicants to send letters of inquiry well in advance of the deadline to allow additional time to complete a full proposal upon invitation. 

Full applications (upon invitation only) and required attachments should be sent via email no later than 5:00 pm Thursday, December 1, 2011.  Please provide the narrative portion of the application in a WORD document.  It is requested that required attachments be compiled and sent in a single PDF document.  

Late letters of inquiry or applications will not be accepted.

Letters of inquiry and invited applications should be sent to:
 
Dawn Lorenzo
Director of Philanthropy
dlorenzo@deltadentalaz.com

If you have any questions about your project’s fit within the Foundation’s Community Grants Program, or regarding the guidelines and application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can reach Dawn Lorenzo at 602-588-3922 or dlorenzo@deltadentalaz.com.

Please see 2011-2012 Community Grant Guidelines for complete information.