Preliminary Project Proposal - First Step in a Two Step Application Process

The Preliminary Project Proposal is the first step in our two step application process. The preliminary proposal is the initial communication that is required of any organization applying to the Health of Vulnerable Populations or Healthy Active Communities focus areas, including equipment-only requests.

Preliminary Proposal Review Process

BCBSNC Foundation staff will review all submitted proposals to ensure the required information is included. If any part of the proposal is missing or incomplete it will be ineligible to continue in the process. Proposals that meet the minimum eligibility requirements are reviewed and discussed by Foundation staff and may also be discussed with subject matter experts and other grantmakers with relevant expertise.

The review committee will determine whether the proposal is likely to be or is competitive and should receive further consideration by inviting the organization to submit a full proposal. If the proposal is not competitive and/or does not fit within the investment criteria, your organization will not be invited to submit a full proposal. This means that your organization is no longer being considered. Your next opportunity to submit a proposal will be the next grant cycle - of which we have two each year. You should feel free to contact program staff for feedback on the proposed project.

Preliminary Proposal Response 

We will respond to your proposal in one of two ways within a two-week timeframe:

1. Email notification declining your proposal, meaning that you are no longer eligible for the corresponding responsive grant cycle; OR,
2. Email invitation inviting your organization to continue with our application process by completing a Full Proposal.

Due to the large number of proposals we receive, we ask that you do not call regarding your proposal. Remember, you will be notified via email about your proposal regardless of whether it is accepted for the next step or declined.

Equipment-Only Requests

Equipment-Only requests, for grants worth $5,000 or less and that fall under the Healthy Active Communities focus area, are required to complete the Preliminary Project Proposal. The deadline is the same for all Preliminary Proposals - July 15, 2010. Because of the unique nature of these grants, there is not a second step. You will be notified of a decision about two weeks after your submission. At that time, if approved, you'll be asked to complete a grant agreement and all further requirements will be explained by your program manager.

Full Grant Proposal - By Invitation Only

The Full Grant Proposal is the second step in our application process. Full grant proposals are accepted by invitation only, upon successful completion of the preliminary proposal process. This does not apply to equipment-only requests.

If you are invited to submit a full grant proposal, you are entering the next phase of a competitive process, meaning that there is no guarantee for funding. We encourage all organizations who reach this stage to also schedule a phone call with a program manager to discuss enhancements to the project proposal.

The full grant proposal process is much the same as the proposal review process. BCBSNC Foundation staff will review all invited proposals to ensure the required information is included. If any part of the proposal is missing or incomplete it will be ineligible to continue in the process. Proposals that meet the minimum eligibility requirements are reviewed and discussed by Foundation staff and may also be discussed with subject matter experts and other grantmakers with relevant expertise.

The review committee will make a recommendation about program funding to the BCBSNC Foundation Board of Directors. Following approval from the Board of Directors, all organizations are notified of the final decision in writing. Organizations that do not receive a grant may contact the BCBSNC Foundation to discuss the decision and opportunities for future investment.

Full Grant Proposal Response

Following approval from the Board of Directors, all organizations that applied will be notified in one of two ways:

1. Email notification and phone call if you receive funding; OR
2. Notification via a letter in the mail if you are declined funding.

Calendar of Deadlines