Grants
Funding solutions to expand equitable health care and healthy living
From 1995-2021, the North Shore Health Care Foundation (NSHCF) has awarded over $1,100,000 in grants. The NSHCF accepts grant applications twice per year through a Request for Proposals process.
Apply for funding
NSHCF currently awards grants for health, medical training and equipment for projects at the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, North Shore Hospital, Cook County Public Health & Human Services, Higher Education, Fire Departments and EMS, the Oral Health Task Force and Care Partners (serving people needing palliative care as well as the elderly), and other initiatives that further the vision of “A healthy community for all in Cook County”.
The Foundation has identified three major priority areas to address critical needs in Cook County:
- Support for elders in the community,
- Mental health and substance misuse needs in children, and
- Travel and lodging challenges for out-of-area health care needs.
Priority may be given to projects that address these needs.
Submission deadlines are May 1 and October 1.
Get Started
Questions regarding grant applications and complete applications may be directed to:
Valerie Marasco Eliasen, Executive Director
North Shore Health Care Foundation
218-387-9076
NSHCF@boreal.org
Our Process
After each deadline, applications are reviewed by the Funds Distribution Committee. If applications are not complete or do not provide enough information, the applicant may be asked to provide additional information. The Funds Distribution Committee makes a recommendation to the Board and successful applicants will be notified and receive funding by July and December each year. The NSHCF primarily funds organizations, initiatives, programs for Cook County, MN, but will still consider funding events outside of Cook County.
Successful grantees must provide a report of how the funds were used to meet the intended goals within six months of the project completion. Images of the funded program may be requested and are preferred.
Programs/Organizations Funded in 2019-2020
- Care Partners of Cook County – $10,000
- The COVID-19 Medical Response Fund – $20,000 match to community donations, to ensure health providers and emergency response units have what they need for local response
- Learning Opportunities Through Stories (LOTS) Program for early childhood education – $1,000
- Great Lunch Program at Great Expectations School to ensure all children have access to healthy food at school regardless of ability to pay, and eliminate singling out children on Free or Reduced Lunch program – $5,000
- Snacks & Packs for Kids ensures children get food on weekends, holidays and summer break. NSHCF helped feed 63 children from Tofte to Grand Portage, throughout the summer – $3,000
- Cook Co. Emergency Chaplaincy Program provides emotional support to First Responders, Law Enforcement, 911 Dispatchers, as well as victims and families on-scene during incidents – $2,000
- Great Lunch Program Phase 2 to help address additional enrollment and expand the school food program to include breakfast, five days a week – $5,000
- New Growing Families Program through Cook County PHHS supports one another through childbearing and early parenting during the pandemic and beyond – $7,100
- Trauma Exposure Training and Peer Support Counselling Training for all staff in Public Health &Human Services – approx. $5,000
Programs/Organizations Funded in 2018 – 2019
- Sawtooth Mountain Clinic – EMDR Staff Training
- Cook Co Emergency Services Conference
- Cook Co Extension Service – Snacks & Packs Program
- Kai-Zen Solutions, LLC – Green Dot Violence Prevention Training
- Grand Portage Health Service – Pool Area AED
- Care Partners of Cook County
- Colvill Volunteer Fire Department – Turn Out Gear
- Human Development Center – Healthy Living Program, Senior Center (Refund after closure)
- Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department – Stair Chair
- Cook Co Public Health & Human Services – Circle of Security Program
- Grand Marais Evangelical Free Church – Restorative Justice Start-Up
- Violence Prevention Center – Prevention Education
- North Shore Collaborative – LOTS program
- Cook Co Public Health & Human Services – In-Home Support Provider Training
- Cook Co Emergency Services – Hovland Dry Hydrant, Phase 2 Ropes Team Training
- Cook County Higher Education
- Grand Marais Volunteer Fire Department – Youth Fire Safety Education
- Sawtooth Mountain Clinic – Giving Tree Travel Cards
Values In All We Do
We believe in the possibilities of people, organizations, businesses and governments working together to create a healthy community for all in Cook County. Our values represent what we believe in, what we stand for and how we approach everything we do at the North Shore Health Care Foundation. They provide a guideline for making decisions at all levels of our organization and include:
- Responsible stewardship
- Collaboration and partnerships
- Efficient and effective governance
- Compassion
- Inherent dignity
- Inclusion
- Integrity
- Being nimble
A Little Goes a Long Way
By giving to the Foundation, you can support a variety of valuable programs and services dedicated to health care, emergency services, education and healthy living in a single donation. Be a partner in your own health system.
Have an initiative that helps work towards our vision of a healthy community for all in Cook County? You could be eligible for a NSHCF grant.