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Knapp Community Care Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$4.7M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M
Decision Time
6mo

Knapp Community Care Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,744,690 (2023)
  • Total Grants Awarded Since 2014: $49 million to 52 organizations
  • Decision Time: Spring information session, summer application, fall notification (approximately 20-24 weeks)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $520,000
  • Median Grant: $58,000
  • Geographic Focus: Deep South Texas Mid-Valley communities
  • Assets: $119,675,950

Contact Details

Website: https://www.communitycare.today

Phone: (956) 854-4534

Email: Contact through website

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1790, Weslaco, TX 78599

Physical Address: 700 Knapp Medical Blvd., Weslaco, TX 78596

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Overview

The Knapp Community Care Foundation was created in 2013 when Prime Healthcare Services Foundation acquired the nonprofit hospital Knapp Medical Center. As a healthcare conversion private foundation with assets of nearly $120 million, KCCF is legally required to invest its resources for charitable purposes similar to those of the original nonprofit entity, with all grantmaking benefiting Mid-Valley families. Since its first grant distribution cycle in 2014, the foundation has awarded $49 million in grants to 52 organizations, with $4.7 million distributed in 2023 alone.

Under CEO Cristina Trejo-Vasquez's leadership, the foundation has evolved from its initial focus on obesity and diabetes to embrace a broader social determinants of health framework. As Trejo-Vasquez explains, the foundation believes that "health does not equate to health care, but there's a number of many other indicators and factors that really contribute to health." The foundation's mission is to improve the health of Mid-Valley families by addressing the non-medical drivers of health that create barriers to wellness in one of Texas's most underserved regions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

KCCF operates an annual grant cycle with typical awards ranging from $10,000 to $520,000 (median: $58,000). Applications are accepted through a two-stage process: Letter of Intent followed by invitation to full application.

Priority Areas

All grantmaking is approached through the lens of the Social Determinants of Health. Grant requests must align with at least one of five focus areas:

  1. Economic Stability - Programs addressing financial security, employment, and economic opportunity
  2. Education Access & Quality - Educational programs and services that support health outcomes
  3. Social & Community Context - Initiatives strengthening social connections and community support
  4. Healthcare Access & Quality - Direct health care services and improved access to medical care
  5. Neighborhood & Built Environment - Projects improving physical environments and community infrastructure

Preferred Project Characteristics:

  • Evidence-based or research-based projects
  • Projects with capacity to leverage additional funding
  • Collaborative partnerships
  • Programs offering unique, innovative, or enhanced services
  • Initiatives demonstrating positive effects on individuals who need support most

Geographic Scope

KCCF funds organizations serving communities in the deep South Texas Mid-Valley region, including:

  • San Carlos, La Blanca, Donna, Hargill, La Feria, La Sara, Lyford, Mercedes, Progreso, Raymondville, Santa Rosa, Sebastian, and Weslaco
  • Delta area: Edcouch, Elsa, La Villa, Monte Alto
  • Other rural communities within the Mid-Valley region

Organizations are not required to have a physical location in the Mid-Valley as long as they provide services in these communities.

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, the foundation's legal mandate restricts funding to programs benefiting Mid-Valley families and aligning with health-related charitable purposes similar to the original Knapp Medical Center's mission.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Leadership:

  • Dr. Paula Garcia - Board Chair
  • Judge Nadia S. Medrano - Vice Chair
  • Mark Anthony Perez - Secretary/Treasurer

Board Members:

  • Esperanza Garza
  • Michael Gonzalez
  • Dr. Daniel Lozano
  • Ramon Montalvo
  • Jaime Ortiz
  • Jennifer Sander
  • Jesse Santana
  • George McCaleb

Executive Leadership

Cristina Trejo-Vasquez, LMSW - Chief Executive Officer

Trejo-Vasquez succeeded founding CEO Yvonne "Bonnie" Gonzalez and has led the foundation's strategic evolution toward a comprehensive social determinants of health approach. She has stated that "Philanthropy is the catalyst that holds the key to unlocking the boundless potential of communities, setting in motion a powerful ripple effect of positive change that elevates the quality of life." Under her leadership, the foundation emphasizes that health outcomes extend far beyond medical care to encompass the full range of social, economic, and environmental factors affecting Mid-Valley families.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

KCCF uses a two-stage application process:

  1. Letter of Intent (LOI): Organizations first submit an LOI through the online grant application portal
  2. Full Application by Invitation Only: If the LOI is approved, an invitation to apply will be emailed to the applicant. Only organizations receiving invitations may submit a full application through the portal.

Application Timeline

The foundation typically follows an annual grant cycle:

  • Spring: Information session/Funding Forum held
  • Summer: Grant applications due
  • Mid-to-Late Fall: Funding award notifications

Specific dates vary year to year. Organizations should contact the foundation at (956) 854-4534 or join their email list through the website for updates on current funding cycles.

Eligibility Requirements

To receive funding, organizations must be:

  • Qualified public entities, OR
  • IRS-recognized 501(c)(3), 509(a), or Section 170(c)(1) entities
  • Current on Form 990s
  • In good standing with the IRS and relevant state and local authorities

Decision Timeline

Approximately 20-24 weeks from initial information session to funding notification, with the full cycle running from spring information sessions through mid-to-late fall awards.

Success Rates

The foundation awarded 17 grants in 2023 from total giving of $4.7 million. Since 2014, 52 organizations have received grants totaling $49 million. Specific success rate percentages are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for declined applications are not publicly documented. Organizations should contact the foundation directly at (956) 854-4534 for guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and approach, successful applications demonstrate:

  1. Clear Alignment with Social Determinants of Health: Applications must explicitly connect their programs to at least one of the five SDOH areas (Economic Stability, Education Access & Quality, Social & Community Context, Healthcare Access & Quality, or Neighborhood & Built Environment).

  2. Evidence-Based Approach: The foundation encourages projects that are research-based or evidence-based, demonstrating proven effectiveness.

  3. Leverage and Collaboration: KCCF values projects with capacity to leverage additional funding and collaborative partnerships that maximize community impact.

  4. Innovation and Uniqueness: Programs should offer unique, innovative, or enhanced services rather than duplicating existing efforts.

  5. Focus on Those Most in Need: As CEO Trejo-Vasquez emphasizes, successful projects "demonstrate a positive effect on the individuals in our community that need it most."

  6. Geographic Service to Mid-Valley Communities: Applications must clearly demonstrate how they serve the specific Mid-Valley communities in KCCF's service area, even if the organization is not physically located there.

  7. Understanding of Non-Medical Health Drivers: The foundation has explicitly broadened beyond traditional healthcare to embrace "non-medical drivers of health." Applications that address barriers beyond clinical care—such as economic challenges, educational gaps, or environmental factors—align with the foundation's evolved mission.

  8. Demonstrated Commitment to Addressing Barriers: In describing recent partnerships, Trejo-Vasquez noted the foundation's "commitment to addressing barriers to care" and supporting initiatives that extend "beyond medical care by addressing the significant challenges families face."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Social determinants lens is non-negotiable: Every application must explicitly connect to at least one of the five SDOH areas—frame your entire proposal through this lens
  • Two-stage process requires strong LOI: The Letter of Intent serves as a screening mechanism; invest time in crafting a compelling LOI as only invited organizations may submit full applications
  • Geographic specificity matters: Clearly identify which Mid-Valley communities you serve and demonstrate deep knowledge of local health challenges
  • Evidence and collaboration strengthen applications: Highlight research basis for your approach and any partnerships that amplify impact or leverage additional resources
  • Think beyond clinical care: The foundation has intentionally moved from narrow health issues (obesity, diabetes) to comprehensive wellness; connect your work to broader determinants of health
  • Attend the spring information session: The annual Funding Forum provides critical insights into current priorities and application requirements
  • Plan for a long timeline: From spring information session through fall notification spans 6+ months; build this into your organizational planning

References

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