The Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation (SMHF) has set a strategic priority for providing grants to community-based organizations serving health-related needs in the Sarasota County area. We understand the need for a wide variety of health-related programs and have targeted our support for the major area of critical concern indicated below. This priority has been designed to align with the concerns of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.

We will consider grant requests for $10,000 to $50,000 from community not-for-profit organizations to fund, or assist in funding, programs addressing the critical issue outlined below. Operational expenses will not be funded. In order to focus our ability to address a key health-related problem in our community, only grant requests directly addressing this issue will be considered for funding.

Provision of services to low-income residents of the Sarasota County area that will help decompress and redirect low acuity usage of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System emergency departments to other support resources

SMHF will consider grant requests from community-based not-for-profit organizations providing outpatient medical services at no cost, or low cost to low-income individuals residing in the Sarasota area. Low-income individuals are those whose income is at or below the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).

These services may include general medical care and specialty care for children, teens and adults, specifically targeted to reduce the use of emergency department services. General medical services and behavioral health services are included in the scope of this plan. Behavioral health services may include outpatient mental health problems such as anger management, grief, anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction services.

Community organizations that meet the criteria outlined above may apply for grants to provide the services outlined above by following the instructions detailed on our website. Grants are awarded in January, March, May, September and November of each year. Application deadlines for each award cycle above are November 30, January 31, March 31, July 31 and September 30. Grant funds approved may be expended anytime within 12 months of the funds being provided. Interim and final reports on the use of funds and results achieved are required for all grants provided.