Healthy Lakewood Foundation
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Responsive Funding

Opens May 15

The Healthy Lakewood Foundation (HLF) supports organizations working to advance health equity in Lakewood. Responsive Funding provides accessible, flexible support for concrete, project-specific work. This includes smaller, well-defined, time-limited initiatives; community events and sponsorships; and urgent community needs that require a faster response.

Three Types of Responsive Grants

Small Grants support concrete, project-specific work with a defined scope, activities, and timeline. These are intended for a specific initiative, program, or effort your organization is ready to carry out. The project may be new or established - what matters is that it is clearly defined and directly benefits Lakewood residents.

    • Small Grants Amount: Up to $7,500
    • Duration: Up to 12 months
    • Decision Timeline: HLF aims to make a funding decision within 30 days of receiving a complete application.

Sponsorship requests are accepted from Lakewood-based organizations hosting events in the community that welcome the community as a whole and build connections through its programming and activities. Note: HLF's sponsorship funding does not support private fundraising events.

    • Sponsorship Funding Amount: Up to $3,000 per Lakewood-based event
    • Duration: Episodic
    • Decision Timeline: HLF aims to make a funding decision within 30 days of receiving a complete application.

Emergency Response funding addresses urgent, crisis-level needs affecting Lakewood residents -  such as a natural disaster, public health emergency, or other community crisis. This funding is intended to fill gaps where nonprofit response is clearly needed alongside, not in place of, government or established relief systems. Emergency grants are approved by Board vote.

    • Emergency Funding Amount: $1,000–$15,000
    • Duration: Episodic
    • Decision Timeline: HLF aims to respond to emergency requests within 48–72 hours.

What Responsive Funding Supports:

All requests must connect to at least one of HLF’s four health equity focus areas:

  • Basic needs and stability: Housing stability and affordability, food security and access, safety, and access to essential services
  • Mental health support: Mental health counseling, prevention programs, crisis support, and trauma-informed care
  • Education: Education access, early childhood, and school readiness
  • Community connection: Social connection, community engagement, and health-promoting community programs and spaces

These grants seek to specifically support the following identified populations:

  • Low-income families and individuals
  • Children and youth
  • Racial and ethnic minorities, including refugees and immigrants
  • Older adults
  • Persons with disabilities
  • LGBTQIA+ community members
  • Uninsured and underinsured residents

Who Can Apply:

Non-profit organizations and fiscally-sponsored groups that are Lakewood-based or Lakewood-serving can apply.

To learn more about fiscal sponsorships, please visit this resource page.

Note: Eligible grant-seeking organizations do not need to be headquartered in Lakewood. However, HLF supports programs and projects in which Lakewood residents or Lakewood-based institutions are either key beneficiaries or directly served. Additionally, Lakewood-based groups are given priority.

We Do NOT Fund:

  • Capital campaigns
  • Fundraising events
  • Lobbying
  • Scholarships
  • Religious organizations for evangelical or religious purposes

Responsive Funding accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. There are no set open and close dates.

Small grants and sponsorships are reviewed within 30 days of a complete application, with approval by the HLF Board President.

Emergency funding requests are reviewed immediately upon receipt, with a goal of responding within 48–72 hours.

Small Grants and Sponsorships

Submit your application through HLF’s online grant application. You can indicate the type of responsive funding you are requesting (small grant or sponsorship).

    • If you have never received HLF funding before, please email kate@healthylakewoodfoundation.org before applying.
    • Ask for assistance with the application process when needed. We are here to help.
    • HLF staff review applications and make a recommendation for approval by the HLF Board President.

Emergency Funding

* Do not wait - contact Kate Ingersoll directly at kate@healthylakewoodfoundation.org or (216) 206-6749 to describe the situation. We will discuss next steps with you immediately.

Review and submit a signed grant agreement in HLF's online portal in a timely manner.

Agree to submit a final grant report and/or discuss learning with HLF staff (if required). You may be asked to share information on spending related to the awarded grant.

Act as a responsible steward of the funding as well as an ambassador to the community.

Provide feedback on the application, implementation, and reporting phases of the grant process to help improve future funding opportunities.

You may be asked to share ideas with other funded groups and identify areas for collaboration and shared impact.

The Healthy Lakewood Foundation does not fund organizations that in their constitution, by-laws or practices discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious beliefs.