The COVID-19 pandemic poses a unique opportunity for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to help advance a 21st-century public health system for New Jersey—the creation of a public health institute (PHI).
Donor Name: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
State: New Jersey
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/13/2022
Size of the Grant: $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 years
Details:
The Nicholson Foundation, in collaboration with RWJF and in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), supported a 10-month planning phase to develop a guiding framework (with support from NNPHI) for a public health institute. The framework identified key criteria for an incubator organization to launch an institute in New Jersey. The funders engaged a diverse design team of leaders from across sectors in New Jersey to develop the strategic framework. These leaders are knowledgeable about state and local public health and healthcare systems, social determinants of health, and had a vision for improving health in New Jersey. The most successful public health institutes have actively partnered with their state health department to complement their efforts. For this effort, NJDOH participated in the design process and anticipates being a partner and collaborator with the institute.
This call for proposals seeks an independent, nonprofit “incubator” organization that can serve as an administrative, operational and strategic home for the development of a public health institute for the state of New Jersey. In many other states, institutes have successfully utilized an incubator to support their administrative and financial needs as they develop in the first three to five years.
The Program
One award will be made to support an incubating organization to cover the first phase (24 months) of work, during which time the incubating organization will develop and launch a public health institute. The incubating organization will be expected to engage in the following areas of activity:
- To serve as an administrative, operational, and financial temporary home for a public health institute that includes:
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Providing comprehensive financial management, including administration of federal funding, accounts payable, accounts receivable, procurement, financial reporting, etc.
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Forming a new legal entity and preparing documentation and filing for Section 501(c)(3) public charity status for the institute. This includes working with counsel to prepare bylaws, articles of incorporation, and submitting all necessary documentation to the state and Internal Revenue Service.
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Negotiating the development of an agreement for partnership with the Department of Health.
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The incubator will work closely with the Executive Director and additional institute staff as hired to support a pipeline for funding for the institute.
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Hiring and managing human resources and providing physical workspace, technology, and remote capabilities, benefits, and other support needs for the first Executive Director and initial program and administrative staff. It is our expectation that the organization will take racial diversity and inclusion into consideration when selecting staff and board members.
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Providing communications infrastructure to host the institute’s website, developing social media, print marketing, and other communications needs.
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Creating a Memorandum of Understanding with the institute (once the nonprofit status is secured) that outlines the relationship, including management of the Board of Trustees for the institute and a process for becoming independent from the incubator at an appropriate phase of development.
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Support connections to potential partners across the state within diverse sectors:
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Recruiting and facilitating a diverse, multisector Board of Trustees that will provide strategic guidance and oversight of the institute’s development.
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Providing logistical support for both virtual and in-person meetings hosted by the institute.
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Providing introductions and connections between the Executive Director and the incubator’s partners, as appropriate.
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Funding Information
The Foundation plans to identify an incubating organization that will receive up to $1 million for up to a 24-month period.
Grant Period
The program start date will be August 15, 2022, and continue through August 14, 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to be the incubating organization of the public health institute, the applicant must have the following core capabilities:
- Administration
- Status as a public entity or nonprofit organization that is federally tax-exempt as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Organizational mission compatible with the mission of the institute: To actively promote collaborative and community-driven partnerships to effect policies and practices to improve health; strengthen public health infrastructure; leverage resources to foster collective impact and social justice, and systemically advance equity and quality of life for all.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion through partnerships, funding, hiring, relationships, etc.
- Facilities management—provide flexible office and meeting space that supports the changing demands of project work.
- Experience being a trusted, successful convener. Track record of bringing together statewide, multisector organizations.
- Grant writing expertise and support, including processes for identifying diverse funding opportunities.
- Commitment to mentor the infrastructure development of the institute at the program, operations, and finance levels. The Foundation anticipates that the incubating organization will develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the institute to outline the relationship and a transition to independence.
- Capacity to provide human resources, finance/accounting, and payroll, technology needs, etc. in a flexible agreement as the institute grows its internal capacity to perform these functions.
- A multiyear contractual relationship that allows the institute to exit the incubator organization at an appropriate phase of its development (likely three to five years).
- Fiscal management
- Track record of financial excellence in nonprofit management, as evidenced by progressively more complex funding partnerships, including with state/federal/private funders and long-term relationships (three years or more) with funders.
- Strength in core financial processing capabilities: general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, etc.
- A track record of outstanding fiduciary integrity and responsibility, including audited financial statements with no outstanding issues.
- Project-based cost accounting and financial reporting that facilitates transparency.
- Experience with grants management and reporting, particularly federal and state.
- Expertise in contracting and procurement.
- Human resource management
- Recruitment and orientation of new employees.
- Flexible staffing arrangements that support the changing demands of project work.
- Management of compensation and benefits.
- Management of contractual relationships with partners/vendor organizations.
- Documented policies and practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Clear policies and training to create a workplace that emphasizes zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination.
- Technology/information systems
- Network stability and security.
- Workstation availability, configuration, and support.
- Software applications that support the core work of the institute.
- Continuity of operations plan and technology support for both in-person and remote work environments.
- Host and curate a placeholder website for the institute as it evolves into a permanent entity.
- Applicant organizations must be either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or nonfunctionally integrated Type III supporting organizations. The Foundation may require additional documentation.
- The applicant organization must have a physical location and established relationships in New Jersey.
For more information, visit Incubating a Public Health Institute in New Jersey.
