Mercy C.A.R.E.S. accepts community reinvestment funding requests once a year.

Mercy C.A.R.E.S. is implementing a new grant funding cycle in 2023. If your organization received funding during 2022 and you’re interested in being considered for this cycle, email the Mercy C.A.R.E.S. community reinvestment grants team prior to submitting an LOI.

1. Complete a short eligibility questionnaire to determine if your request meets our funding criteria.
   
   
2. Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) in 12 point font (not to exceed 2 pages) with the following information:
   • Project name and 1-2 line description
   • Contact information for point of contact
   • Project description and/or health focus area addressed 
   • Community need and/ or gap in funding 
   • Target population 
   • Project goals 
   • Funding amount requested
     
     
3. Complete a full application, if invited. If needed the community reinvestment grants team may request a meeting.

How do I apply for a Mercy C.A.R.E.S Community Reinvestment Grant?

First, complete a short eligibility questionnaire to determine if your request meets our funding criteria.​ Then, email a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the community reinvestment grants team briefly describing your request. This is the starting point for all requests regardless of whether you have applied for, or received a Mercy C.A.R.E.S. grant in the past. The Letter of Intent will be reviewed by our committee and organizations will be notified via email of the LOI review. Approved LOIs will receive an invitation with submission instructions to complete a full application. Mercy Care may request a meeting for additional information, if needed. Last, the Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment team will present recommendations to the review committee for consideration and final funding decisions. Grantees will be notified in early June.

What is Mercy C.A.R.E.S. eligibility criteria?

Interested organizations can determine if they qualify by taking our short eligibility questionnaire.

What type of grants are available?

Mercy C.A.R.E.S. awards grants for programmatic and operating support. 

Programmatic – grants that create, expand, or enhance effective programs ​

Operating – grants that support the organization’s mission and seek to build the infrastructure needed to thrive in the long term​

Occasionally, Mercy C.A.R.E.S. will consider capital support for organizations that seek immediate capital improvements to continue or expand services, but such grants are rare and are generally limited to current or past grantees. 

What is the grant range for requests?

There is no set range. If you have previously received a Mercy C.A.R.E.S grant, an amount in that same range is a good starting point. However, most grants typically fall between $20K- $500K.

What are the geographic areas of focus?

Mercy C.A.R.E.S. accepts funding requests from organizations located in or serving Arizona residents.

What should my organization’s LOI include?

We believe that your time is best spent directly serving your mission rather than creating, formatting and overthinking grant applications. If you’re invited to submit a full application, you’ll need to provide additional details about your plans, but for now, please provide a few paragraphs (12-point font, not to exceed two pages) to help Mercy C.A.R.E.S. better understand your request. Be sure to address the following:

• Project name and 1-2 sentence description
• Contact information for the point of contact
• Project description/health focus area(s) you're addressing
• Community need/gap in funding
• Target population
• Project goals
• Mercy C.A.R.E.S. funding quantity request

When does Mercy C.A.R.E.S. accept applications for funding requests?

Mercy C.A.R.E.S. accepts community reinvestment funding requests once a year. See the grant funding timeline above.

If my organization received a grant last year, can we apply for another one this year?

Generally, Mercy C.A.R.E.S. should receive and review your final report before your organization is eligible to apply for a new grant. Email the community reinvestment grants team for more guidance. 

My organization delivers services in more than one of your focus areas. Can I submit more than one LOI?

No, our guidelines state that we'll fund an organization no more than once in a calendar year. You will need to decide which area is your highest priority for funding and delivers the largest community impact.

Does Mercy C.A.R.E.S. provide multi-year grants?

As a general rule, Mercy C.A.R.E.S. doesn't make multi-year grants through this process.

Will Mercy C.A.R.E.S. fund partial amounts of the full amount requested?

Yes, we'll consider offering a grant in an amount less than requested.

What is the reporting requirement for a grant?

Grantees will be required to submit a mid-year and final report of activities along with a detailed accounting of the use of all grant funds. The Mercy C.A.R.E.S. team may also request periodic touch base meetings to monitor progress.

Who can I contact if I have additional questions?

For questions, contact the community reinvestment grants team.