Superior Health Foundation changes grant policies

MARQUETTE — The Marquette-based Superior Health Foundation has updated and made minor changes to its existing grant policies.

The biggest changes are to the foundation’s smaller grants, foundation executive director Jim LaJoie said in a press release.

The foundation is a health-centered, grant-giving organizations.

The foundation’s mini-grants are now “Pilot Project Grants.” The grants were originally designed to offer seed funding for start-up projects related to health around the Upper Peninsula, according to the release, however the foundation increasingly began receiving requests to fund complete projects.

“Thus, we’re changing the name of these grants to better reflect their purpose, which is to fund start-up projects with the hope these projects will emerge into something bigger. At that point, they will be encouraged to re-apply for larger funding,” LaJoie said, adding the grants aren’t to exceed $2,500.

The foundation’s equipment grants have also been given their own policy, according to the release, rather than being housed under the mini-grants policy.

The equipment grants are designed to provide funding for health-centered equipment around the U.P.

The final changing is renaming the foundation’s large grants will now be called spring grants and fall grants.

“Essentially, the (foundation) grant committee is open to funding health projects that don’t necessarily fall under pilot project or equipment grants,” LaJoie said. “Thus, these grants need not be at least $2,500.”

Since its inception in 2012, the Superior Health Foundation has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants.

Language for the new policies is available on the foundation’s website, superiorhealthfoundation.org, under the grants tab.

Those with questions about the changes can contact grant coordinator Laura Jarvi at 906-225-4763 or ljarvi@superiorhealthfoundation.org.

—Richard Jenkins