Our new multi-year general operating support model
We have learned over the course of our equity journey that our grantee partners can do their best work when we streamline our processes, listen to the expertise of those doing on-the-ground work in the community and trust them to take action. In alignment with these lessons learned, RMHF is moving to a multi-year general operating support structure for fiscal years 2023-2027. This is a fundamental change that shifts our approach to grantmaking and enhances the ways we learn from our partners.
Partners will experience:
- Flexibility: Access to more flexible funding
- Empowerment: Support for the work partners believe is most critical for addressing community opportunities and challenges
- Foundational support: Infrastructure or overhead support not covered by project/programmatic grants
- Sustainability: Potential to build fundraising, planning and other systematic capacities for long-term sustainability
This structure gives grantee partners who are mission-aligned the flexibility to use funds in the ways they know will be most effective for the communities they serve.
What does it mean to be “mission-aligned”?
Based on our own mission of “fostering an equitable and healthy Richmond region,” the core work of mission-aligned organizations:
- Advances health and racial equity.
- Embodies an understanding of the social determinants of health.
- Impacts those most affected by inequities.
In addition, we will give priority to organizations that show evidence of internal work at the Board and staff levels to advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.