NCCF Seeks Grant Proposals to Strengthen Behavioral Health System in Lower Fairfield County

Overview 

New Canaan Community Foundation (NCCF) seeks proposals from nonprofit organizations impacting the quality of, and access to, behavioral health services in lower Fairfield County, CT. 

Context and Background 

New Canaan Community Foundation’s mission is to address our community’s needs by providing leadership on local issues, making impactful grants, and facilitating New Canaan’s effective charitable giving. Our vision is a town that comes together to meet the needs of New Canaan and its neighbors, creating a healthier and more vibrant community. In recent years, community leadership has been central to NCCF’s work, as the Foundation is uniquely positioned to build cross-sector partnerships and build deep expertise on local issues. Behavioral health has been a significant area of focus since 2018. 

In 2023, NCCF launched the Community Behavioral Health Fund as a multi-year initiative to shepherd the next phase of impact, focusing on a whole community approach to mental health and wellbeing. 

Through this RFP, NCCF seeks to support systems-level work that impacts the quality of, and access to, behavioral health services in lower Fairfield County. Examples may include: 

• Initiatives to strengthen the mental health workforce, such as efforts to strengthen the pipeline for mental health providers, support the certification of bilingual clinicians, and/or increase workforce retention. 

• Efforts that seek to advance parity in mental health insurance coverage and reimbursement. 

• Advocacy or policy work that directly impacts lower Fairfield County. 

• Coalitions or partnerships that have a system-wide impact on the quality of care available to local residents. 

We look forward to receiving a wide range of proposals addressing issues including, but not limited to, those listed above. 

Eligibility Requirements, Submission Requirements, and Review Process: 

Organizations either based in Fairfield County or state-wide organizations whose work directly impacts lower Fairfield County are welcome to apply. Proposals may be submitted for new or existing initiatives. Projects/organizations can be an independent nonprofit or they may have fiscal sponsorship from another organization. Grants are expected to range from approximately $10,000 - $50,000. 

To be considered, nonprofits should submit a proposal using the online application, which requests the following information: 

• Proposal: Please describe your organization/project and mission. Describe the challenge in the behavioral health system and how you are uniquely positioned to make an impact. 
• What is the organization’s background in this work and track record if applicable? 
• How would you define success? Are there short, intermediate or long-term metrics that would tell us if the work is on the right track? 
•  
• • Project budget and budget narrative. Please describe the costs associated with this work. Are there other key funders? Funding needed on an ongoing basis? Are there additional dollars to be leveraged or influenced? 
  • Who are the key people on this project (staff, coalition members, partners, etc)? 
  • Beyond the work you are proposing to do, what other issues need to be addressed in the behavioral health system for your work to succeed? 
  • Organization budget vs. actuals for current fiscal year 
  • Organization budget vs. actuals for previous fiscal year 
  • If applicable, program budget vs. actuals for current fiscal year 
  • If applicable, program budget vs. actuals for previous fiscal year 
  • Most recent audited financial statements (if organization budget over $1M) or Form 990. 

Financial information: 

The grant cycle timeline is as follows: 

• August 26: RFP opens 
• September 20: Proposals are due 
• October: Site Visits, as needed 
• Late November: Grant decisions communicated 
• December 1, 2024 – November 30, 2025: Grant period 

Questions 

You may call the Foundation at 203-966-0231, or email Meg Soffen at msoffen@newcanaancf.org with any questions.