Venture Fund for Oral Health

Posted by on July 04, 2011

DentaQuest Foundation Seeks Proposals for Venture Fund for Oral Health
Deadline: Rolling, through December 2011

The DentaQuest Foundation, a philanthropic organization funded by oral health company DentaQuest which invests in national and community-based efforts to improve oral health for all, has announced a Request for Proposals for its Venture Fund for Oral Health. The Venture Fund is seeking grant proposals from U.S. oral health programs that have demonstrated positive outcomes and that have the potential to make an impact on a wider scale.

The foundation seeks to support oral health systems that are effective and efficient and which provide equitable access to high-quality care for diverse populations. Through its investments, the foundation seeks to achieve lasting impact in the following four systems: public policy that supports improved oral health; increased public and private funding for oral health initiatives; improvement in the delivery of oral health care and prevention programs; and expanded community engagement on oral health issues.

To qualify for funding, applicant organizations must demonstrate proven past successes in one of the systems that the foundation seeks to influence —policy, funding, care, community —and a well-thought-out plan for expansion.

The foundation will select and develop a portfolio of up to four promising programs or initiatives that have demonstrated measureable impact and are poised for expansion. Each grantee in the portfolio will receive funding and technical assistance to support the expansion of their program on a larger scale.

A total of up to $1 million will be awarded from the Venture Fund in 2011. The size of individual awards will be determined based on the scope and scale of the proposed expansion activities.

In addition to financial support, grantees will receive technical assistance on building organizational capacity to ensure success in program expansion and to facilitate shared learning among Venture Fund grantees. Funding will specifically support business planning, capacity building, and program evaluation to allow grantees the ability to expand while maintaining the quality of their programs.

Applicants must be based in the U.S. or its territories and may be either public entities or nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.

There are two stages in the competitive proposal process for the Venture Fund. Interested applicants should first submit a Letter of Intent describing their proposed project. The foundation will then invite qualified applicants to submit full proposals.

Letters of Intent and full proposals for the Venture Fund will be accepted on a rolling basis through December 2011.

Visit the DentaQuest Foundation Web site for the complete RFP and application materials.

http://www.dentaquestfoundation.org/ourwork/programs.php#venture