Only 501(c) 3 OR 509(a) community-based non-profit organizations, coalitions, or the local government are eligible to apply. Initiatives must be based in Somerville and/or serve Somerville residents. Entities may submit up to three RFPs, one for each strategy.

• A coalition is a community-based formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration among diverse groups or sectors of a community who all agree to work together in pursuit of a common goal. Community coalitions connote a type of collaboration that is sustainable over time.

• Please note that proposals from within the Mass General Brigham and Cambridge Health Alliance healthcare systems are NOT eligible for this funding.

Grant funds may be used for staff salaries, consultant fees, operating expenses, and indirect costs associated with the strategy. Indirect costs may not exceed 15% of the direct expenses.

Funds may not be used for clinical or medical care, to build endowments, fund operating deficits, or influence elections. Requests will not be considered for construction of new facilities, substantial renovation of existing facilities, or to support capital campaigns. No grants will be made to individuals.

As a condition for accepting grant monies, grantees must commit to completing annual and final programmatic and expenditure reports detailing the use of the funds and the impact achieved.

• RFP released on January 4, 2021

• Bidders Conference/Information Session on January 19, 2021

• Online Technical Assistance Session on January 26, 2021

• Final FAQs shared on January 26, 2021

• RFPs due on February 26, 2021

• Notification of award recommendations to MGB on April 16, 2021

• Expected start date is Spring/Summer 2021

Final proposals should be submitted via email to chihit@challiance.org by 5:00 p.m. on February 26th, 2021, and should include the following 4 components:

1. Narrative: 10 pages maximum, which includes Application Questions 1-7 above, as well as budget narrative. Single sided, 1” margins, 11pt font. PDF file preferred (Microsoft Word or Google Docs accepted)

2. Budget Form: PDF file preferred (Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets accepted)

3. Letters of Support: Maximum of 2 letters, signed and submitted as PDF file preferred

4. Documentation of eligibility status: Proof of 501(c)3 OR 509(a) status of lead applicant (community-based non-profit organization, coalition, or local government)

Determination of Need (DoN) is a review process and regulatory scheme managed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), which is activated when health care facilities plan to make major capital expenditures. One component of the DoN is called the Community-based Health Initiative (CHI), which serves to connect these capital expenditures to public health goals by also making investments in community health priorities. Typically, 5% of the capital expenditure is added on to the total budget and reserved for this CHI investment.

The Community Advisory Committee is a group of stakeholders who determine which health priorities the CHI investment will aim to address, and select which types of strategies will be funded. The Committee is made up of members who represent diverse perspectives and sectors. Members are responsible for reviewing community-identified health priorities surfaced through previous needs assessments and current engagement processes, and for making decisions about equitable, effective, upstream strategies to address selected health priorities.

The processes for developing the 2017 Wellbeing of Somerville Report and the 2022 CHA Strategy for a Healthy Somerville surfaced several community-informed health priorities, which grounded the DoN application. Racial equity and life-course considerations were highlighted throughout both processes in discussions of health priorities, which included:

1. Mental health concerns, including prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and social isolation; and increasing access to mental health care.

2. Social determinants of health, including affordable housing, food access, education, employment, and early education and childcare access.

3. Substance use disorders, including prevention and treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders, and improving the continuum of care.

4. Stress, particularly due to socioeconomic needs and structural racism.

5. Physical activity and nutrition, and related chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

6. Health care access, including navigation support, education to address health literacy challenges, and technology to improve continuity of patient care and service.

In the context of COVID-19, priorities have changed and deepened. During the summer of 2020, CHA facilitated 3 community engagement sessions (with options for English, Spanish, and Portuguese speakers) to solicit input from the Somerville community and source new data to help the Community Advisory Committee better understand the dimensions of current health priorities.

The total investment breaks down as follows:

$490,524.73 - Local Initiative. These funds will be invested in Somerville community-based health initiatives, as determined by the Community Advisory Committee and Allocation Subcommittee.

$54,502.75 - Evaluation of Local Initiative. CHA will hire an evaluator to provide technical assistance and evaluate the impact of selected initiatives.

$181,675.82 - CHI Statewide Initiative contribution. Since not all communities in Massachusetts have large health care systems that would go through the DoN process, the Statewide Initiative is managed by DPH to invest in CHIs in other communities. For a DoN of this size, 25% must be contributed to the Statewide Initiative.

$22,475.35 - Administrative fee. CHA will provide for staff time and other necessary resources to support the CHI process using this fee. It amounts to 3% of the total CHI investment.

$749,178.65 - Total CHI Investment.

One objective is to meet the increasing need for navigation for mental health in Somerville. Another goal is improved economic security for Somerville populations who may have been displaced from restaurant jobs, and other work and who may benefit from this training. Evidence indicates improved mental health outcomes when mental health workers with shared backgrounds are working with communities to understand mental health and what that concept means to different populations. The intended outcome is to develop a new group of trained CHWs who become part of a cohort with paid employment opportunities focused on helping Somerville residents navigate mental health issues. Internship stipends are included as part of the proposal, as one approach to reduce barriers for participation for residents.

As required by the state, there will be an externally funded evaluator with separate funding beyond the amounts indicated for each of the three selected strategies. It will be important for someone on staff to be identified to work with this external evaluator. There is no need for payment for this external evaluator. However, applicants should devote staff time resources to be available to work with the evaluator.

No.

There are not specific requirements that those served through the funded project live in affordable housing. The intention is to assist residents who are rent-burdened, so that people stay housed.

The applying entity can be located outside of Somerville, but services should be directed to within the Somerville population.

CHA is not eligible for this funding. However, in the case of planning to apply for Strategy #1, an applicant could reference that CHA is already providing ongoing Community Health Worker (CHW) basic training, at no cost to the Somerville community. This could be considered an “in kind” donation of services that a proposal could capitalize on. Additionally, CHA might be a member of a community coalition that could apply, but would not be eligible for any of the funding.