Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay up to date with the latest news and information from Impact Health.
CHW FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Background
All people living in Western North Carolina (WNC) should have access to opportunities that support their health. While high quality medical care is important, research has consistently shown that up to 80 percent of a person’s health is impacted by social and environmental factors that are not influenced by medical care. Many WNC community members do not have access to resources to address these factors.
The NC Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) is the nation’s first comprehensive program to use Medicaid funding to support nonmedical, health-related needs for eligible NC Medicaid members. Impact Health is leading a network of more than 50 community-based organizations supporting HOP participants in WNC with needs related to food, housing, transportation, personal safety and healthy relationships.
HOP relies on relationships to connect eligible community members and their families with services that can make the difference between being well-fed or hungry, housed or homeless, connected or isolated, well or sick. Access to HOP services has been life changing for thousands of WNC families. Unfortunately, there are still many people in our region who qualify for services but are not aware of HOP or how to access it.
This funding oportunity is designed to help eligible community members access HOP services through community health workers (CHWs) who are experts in and trusted by their communities. The goal is to give CHWs additional tools and resources to build a healthy Western North Carolina where all community members can thrive.
Available Funding
Impact Health is committed to ensuring that every WNC community member who is eligible for HOP services can receive them. To support this commitment, Impact Health will provide up to six community-based organizations with $300,000 ($50,000 for each organization) to invest in their existing CHW workforce and connect community members to HOP and other health-related resources over the course of one year.
Impact Health has co-designed the opportunity with the WNC Community Health Worker Coalition to ensure equitable access to funding. This flexible funding opportunity is intended to support regional efforts to build and sustain WNC’s vital CHW workforce.
Eligibility
Organization Type
WNC-based: Eligible organizations must be located in and serve one or more of the following 18 counties and/or the Qualla Boundary: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey.
Nonprofit: Eligible organizations with tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are preferred.
Organization Characteristics
The following characteristics are essential to be considered for funding:
Grounded in community
Eligible organizations are deeply connected to and trusted by the communities they serve, including HOP-eligible populations.
Committed to equity
Eligible organizations demonstrate a commitment to equity through the diverse composition of their leadership, staff and the populations they serve.
Community advocates
Eligible organizations employ CHWs, advance CHWs in leadership positions and strive toward living wage certification.
Collaborative
Eligible organizations demonstrate the ability to work successfully with community partners and those who are most impacted to address shared health priorities.
Grantee Expectations
Training and technical assistance
Grantees will be expected to participate in all HOP training and technical assistance opportunities provided by Impact Health during the one-year grant period.
HOP outreach and enrollment support
Grantees will be expected to engage in HOP outreach, screening, referral and support as part of their broader community health work.
HOP evaluation efforts
Grantees will be expected to participate in data collection efforts during the grant period to track the effectiveness of HOP outreach and enrollment activities.
NCCHWA certification
Grantees with non-certified CHWs will be expected to actively support staff in achieving NCCHWA certification during the grant period.
Description of Funded Work
This opportunity is designed to help organizations enhance the capacity of their existing CHW workforce to connect community members with nonmedical, health-related services to improve their wellbeing. Funds can be used to support CHW staff who engage in a mix of HOP outreach, referral and service delivery activities including, but not limited to:
- Community-based HOP education and outreach.
- Supporting community members with HOP prescreening and enrollment.
- Providing follow-up support for HOP referrals.
- Ensuring HOP members receive pilot services.
- Assisting with HOP service delivery, if possible.
- Participating in pilot tracking, as needed.
Timeline
| Funding opportunity and application goes live | February 14 |
| Virtual info session | February 27 at 12 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. |
| Regional in-person info sessions (click here to register) |
Beginning March 5, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
|
| Office hours (virtual drop-in assistance) |
Thursdays, March 7 - April 11 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. (click HERE - same for all sessions) |
| Applications due | April 12 |
| Grantees selected and notified | By May 10 |
| Grant start date | June 1, 2024 |
| Grant end date | May 31, 2025 |
Learn More
FAQ
Interested in learning more about the Community Health Worker funding opportunity and how your six organizations will partner with us to build a healthier Western North Carolina? This video will give you a brief overview of HOP and our application process which closed on April 12. If you have questions about this or other community-based opportunities, please contact Dionne Greenlee-Jones, senior director of equity and innovation at Impact Health.