New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation - Grant Information & Application Details

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $832,497 (2024)
Success Rate: ~42% (from LOI to award)
Decision Time: 3 business days for LOI response; 6-8 weeks for final decision
Grant Range: Up to $20,000 per year
Geographic Focus: New Hampshire only

Contact Details

Website: https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/

Address: 49 S. Main St. #204, Concord, NH 03301

Phone: 603-229-3260

Fax: 603-229-3239

Email: Available through contact form on website

Contact for Grant Inquiries:

Gail Garceau, President (for questions about alignment or application concepts)
Patti Baum, Program Director (coordinates all aspects of grantmaking program)

Overview

The New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation was established in October 1997 from the proceeds of the merger between Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Hampshire and the Matthew Thornton Health Plan. With current net assets of approximately $26.1 million, the foundation has distributed $16.4 million in awards and strategic investments over its first 25 years of operation. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of all New Hampshire children, with a strategic focus on children up to age five and their families. The foundation operates as a private foundation under 501(c)(3) designation and is required by law to distribute 5% of its financial assets annually. In recent years, the foundation has concentrated its efforts on preventing and reducing childhood trauma, recognizing that over 20% of New Hampshire children ages 0-17 have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). A professional evaluation conducted for the foundation's 25th anniversary highlighted its "out-sized impact" despite operating with only 2.5 full-time staff members, attributing this success to deep knowledge of field issues, responsiveness to emerging needs, and active partnership approaches.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Responsive Grantmaking Program

Award Amount: Up to $20,000 for one year of general operating support
Application Cycle: Two rounds annually (Spring and Fall)
Application Method: Two-stage process requiring Letter of Inquiry (LOI) followed by full application upon invitation
Funding Type: General operating support (as of Spring 2024, shifted from project-specific funding)

Emergency Funding

Purpose: Address sudden budget and policy changes at state and federal levels
Availability: Announced as needed in response to crisis situations

Trauma Responsive Communities Initiative

Award Amount: Multi-year funding (specific amounts not publicly disclosed)
Current Recipients: Four communities (Coos County, Nashua, Monadnock Region, and Concord)
Purpose: Implement comprehensive trauma-responsive community models

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on preventing and reducing childhood trauma through policy, system, and environment changes. Specific funded strategies include:

1. Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Building community capacity for evidence-based therapeutic models
Screening for ACEs in pediatric primary care settings
Training healthcare professionals in trauma-informed care
Strengthening family support services and parental capacity

2. Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

Evidence-based family therapy for children under five and their caregivers
Focus on strengthening attachment and healing from trauma

3. ACERT (Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team)

Partnership model connecting police, health agencies, and social services
Connects families affected by violence to counseling and therapeutic services

4. Healthcare Access and Quality

Increasing access to children's health and dental insurance coverage
Promoting oral health prevention
Improving pediatric healthcare systems

5. Healthy Development

Reducing food insecurity
Promoting healthy eating
Increasing active living opportunities

What They Don't Fund

Biomedical research
Capital campaigns
Pre-incurred expenses
Fundraising events
Out-of-state projects
Sectarian programs (religious activities)
Political activities or lobbying
Discriminatory organizations
Multi-year requests (currently suspended)
Indirect costs exceeding 15% of grant award

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Gail Garceau, President President since 2015, Garceau brings over 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She previously served as CEO of New Hampshire Healthy Kids Corporation and Heritage United Way, and as General Manager of Well Sense Health Plan. She has received multiple community awards including the Community Leadership Award from the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, the Heroine Award from Odyssey House, the Susan B. Anthony Award from the YWCA, and the Business Leaders of the 21st Century Award (Non-profit Category) from Business NH Magazine.

Alisa Druzba, Director of Research and Community Impact Appointed in January 2023, Druzba formerly directed the Rural Health and Primary Care Section at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services for 18 years. She brings expertise in youth development, childhood trauma, healthcare access, and workforce development.

Patti Baum, Program Director Serving since 2008, Baum coordinates all aspects of the foundation's grantmaking program and serves as the primary contact for grant applicants.

Board of Directors

Keith J. Loud, MD, FAAP (Chair) - Chair of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief, Dartmouth Health Children's

Erin Hennessey, CPA (Vice Chair) - New Hampshire Deputy Secretary of State, former state senator and representative

Pamela DiNapoli, PhD (Secretary) - Associate Professor of Nursing-Emerita, Elms College; former Executive Director of NH Nurses Association

Jonathan Oglebay (Treasurer) - Senior Vice President/CFO, Bellwether Community Credit Union

Additional Board Members:

Borja Alvarez de Toledo, M.Ed. - President & CEO, Waypoint
Peter Ames - Executive Director, Foundation for Healthy Communities
Brian M. Beals, MD, FAAP - Pediatrician, Coos County Family Health Services
Matthew Dodge, CFP® - Certified Financial Planner, UBS Financial Services
Sabrina Dunlap - Senior Director of Government Relations, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Jo Porter, MPH - Chief Strategy Officer, NH Center for Justice and Equity
Susan Stearns - Executive Director, NAMI New Hampshire
Kristine Stoddard, Esq. - Senior Director, New Hampshire Public Policy, Bi-State Primary Care Association
Trinidad Tellez, MD - Principal, Health Equity Strategies, LLC; NH State Representative

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Review Funding Priorities Before applying, thoroughly review the foundation's funding priorities and strategies on their Community Investment page at nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org to ensure alignment. The foundation encourages contacting President Gail Garceau with questions about alignment or application concepts.

Step 2: Register Organization Create an account in the foundation's online grant portal at nhcf.fcsuite.com/erp/portal.

Step 3: Submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI) All applicants must submit a brief LOI during one of the two annual submission windows. The LOI should demonstrate how your organization's work aligns with the foundation's stated priorities and strategies.

Step 4: Await Invitation The foundation reviews all LOIs and invites organizations whose objectives fit within the scope of their funding priorities to submit full applications. Invitations are typically sent within three business days following receipt of the LOI.

Step 5: Submit Full Application Invited organizations have approximately 6-7 weeks to complete and submit a full application through the online portal.

Decision Timeline

Spring Cycle:

LOI opens: February 3
LOI closes: February 21
LOI decisions: Within 3 business days of submission
Full application due: April 1
Awards announced: June 1
Funding begins: July 1

Fall Cycle:

LOI opens: September 2
LOI closes: September 16
LOI decisions: Within 3 business days of submission
Full application due: October 7
Awards announced: December 1
Funding begins: January 1

Success Rates

The foundation uses a selective two-stage process designed to be respectful of applicants' time. In the Spring 2025 grant round, 24 organizations were invited to submit full applications from the LOI pool, and 10 organizations ultimately received awards—representing approximately a 42% success rate from invitation to award. The foundation typically makes 20-28 awards annually, distributing approximately $800,000-$850,000 per year. Recent annual award totals include:

2024: 26 awards, $832,497 distributed
2023: 17 awards
2022: 20 awards
2021: 26 awards

Reapplication Policy

The foundation accepts applications from both previous grantees and new organizations during each grant cycle. There are no stated restrictions on reapplication for unsuccessful applicants. Organizations can apply in subsequent cycles as long as their work continues to align with the foundation's funding priorities.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Direct Guidance

The foundation emphasizes that its intention is "to only ask applicants to prepare a full grant application if their objective(s) fit within the scope of – and advance – our funding priorities." This underscores the critical importance of demonstrating clear alignment with their stated strategies in the LOI stage.

The foundation encourages potential applicants to contact President Gail Garceau directly with questions about alignment or application concepts before submitting an LOI.

What the Foundation Values

Based on the 25th-anniversary evaluation, stakeholders highlighted the foundation's appreciation for:

Evidence-based strategies: The foundation invests in programs with demonstrated effectiveness
Innovation: Willingness to support lesser-known organizations with innovative approaches
Active partnership: Organizations that engage in collaborative problem-solving
Responsiveness to community needs: Programs that address emerging needs identified by stakeholders
Leverage potential: Projects that can attract additional funders and co-investment

Funded Organization Examples

Recent funded initiatives demonstrate the foundation's priorities:

Trauma Responsive Communities: Multi-year investments in four NH communities (Coos County, Nashua, Monadnock Region, Concord) to build comprehensive trauma-responsive systems
Child-Parent Psychotherapy: Evidence-based therapeutic interventions for young children and caregivers
ACERT Programs: Cross-sector collaborations linking law enforcement and human services
Pediatric ACEs Screening: Statewide expansion of trauma-informed care in pediatric practices through the New Hampshire Pediatric Improvement Partnership
Community health centers and policy organizations: Supporting both direct service providers and advocacy organizations working on systems-level change

Language and Terminology

When crafting applications, use terminology that reflects the foundation's framework:

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and childhood trauma
Policy, system, and environment changes rather than individual interventions alone
Trauma-informed care and trauma-responsive communities
Resilience building for children and families
Evidence-based practices and models
Health equity and addressing disparities
Focus on children ages 0-5 and their families

Tips for Standing Out

Demonstrate systems-level thinking: The foundation prioritizes changes to policies, systems, and environments over individual-level interventions alone
Show collaborative capacity: Highlight partnerships with other organizations and sectors (healthcare, social services, education, law enforcement)
Connect to ACEs prevention: Explicitly articulate how your work prevents or reduces childhood trauma, even if that's not the primary framing you typically use
Emphasize general operating support needs: As the foundation has shifted to general operating support, clearly explain how unrestricted funding will strengthen your organization's capacity to advance the foundation's priorities
Use data strategically: The foundation maintains a Children's Health Dashboard and values data-driven approaches
Highlight leverage and sustainability: Demonstrate how foundation support will help attract additional resources or build long-term capacity

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Geographic restriction is absolute: Only organizations serving New Hampshire children and families are eligible; out-of-state projects are explicitly excluded
Age focus is central: The foundation's primary population is children ages 0-5 and their families, though some initiatives may extend to older children in the context of trauma prevention
Two-stage process favors strong LOIs: Invest time in a compelling LOI that clearly demonstrates alignment with funding priorities; this is your gateway to a full application invitation
Systems change over direct services: While the foundation funds service providers, applications should articulate how services contribute to broader policy, system, or environment changes
General operating support is now the norm: As of 2024, all responsive grantmaking supports general operations, not specific projects—frame your application accordingly
Small staff means accessible leadership: With only 2.5 FTE staff, the foundation is surprisingly accessible; don't hesitate to contact leadership with questions before applying
Trauma-informed lens is essential: Nearly all current funding relates to ACEs prevention—ensure your application connects to this framework even if your work has other primary objectives

References

New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation Official Website. "Home Page." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/ (Accessed November 2025)
New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation. "Apply for a Grant." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant/ (Accessed November 2025)
New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation. "Board & Staff." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/board-staff/ (Accessed November 2025)
New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation. "Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/preventing-aces/ (Accessed November 2025)
New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation. "Contact." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/contact/ (Accessed November 2025)
New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation. "Foundation evaluates quarter-century of work." https://nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org/foundation-marks-quarter-century-of-work/ (Accessed November 2025)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "New Hampshire Childrens Health Foundation." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/20497577 (Accessed November 2025)
Instrumentl. "New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/new-hampshire-childrens-health-foundation (Accessed November 2025)
GuideStar. "New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation." https://www.guidestar.org/profile/02-0497577 (Accessed November 2025)
Candid Foundation Directory. "New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=HEAL055 (Accessed November 2025)
Grantmakers In Health. "Philanthropy @ Work - Transitions - November 2018." https://www.gih.org/philanthropy-work/transitions/philanthropy-work-transitions-november-2018/ (Accessed November 2025)