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NJ Safety Net Innovation Proposal
The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation is now accepting New Jersey Safety Net Innovation Proposal (NJ SNIP) applications. This grant opportunity offers funding to organizations focused on strengthening the healthcare safety net in New Jersey for individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI).
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What is NJ SNIP?
Applications are now being accepted for grant funding and technical assistance to organizations focused on strengthening the healthcare safety net in New Jersey to improve care for individuals living with SMI, including but not limited to Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation’s (BMS Foundation) NJ SNIP aims to support New Jersey safety net healthcare organizations in planning and implementing strategic initiatives to meet the unique needs of those living with SMI.
The goal of this grant is to increase access to quality mental healthcare for underserved communities in New Jersey by expanding safety net organizations’ capacity to serve local needs while aligning with broader statewide goals and policy initiatives to support long-term sustainability. For NJ SNIP cohort two, the BMS Foundation aims to fund proposals that will provide impactful, sustainable value for the funded organizations and support demonstrable, strategic capacity building among the state’s mental health safety net providers caring for individuals living with SMI. The Camden Coalition is supporting the BMS Foundation to co-design, implement, and administer this grant.
Eligible organizations can apply for up to $150,000 per year for two years to address a community need and/or a strategic capacity building need related to serving individuals living with SMI. Proposed uses of funding can include, but are not limited to, the following:
- An effort to strengthen an organization’s internal infrastructure to support mental health needs for individuals living with SMI.
- An expansion of current mental health services or programs serving individuals living with SMI.
- A new service or program to address the needs of individuals living with SMI.
One-on-one assistance will be provided by the Camden Coalition to develop and implement plans to ensure the success of the proposed project and to sustain the organization’s efforts through alignment with state priorities, other funding streams, and partnership-building.
Eligible organizations
To be eligible, an organization must be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, located in NJ, and qualify as one of the following organization types: *
Community mental health centers
Organizations that provide outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services and support to residents using an integrated approach for physical and mental health services through formal partnerships, colocations, etc. This includes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), which are nonprofit organizations that provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals.
Community health improvement organizations
A non-profit, community-based organization (CBO) whose programs include services to improve access to healthcare for uninsured, Medicaid, and other vulnerable populations experiencing significant health disparities. For example, this includes, but is not limited to, CBOs that meet the following descriptions:
- Organizations that partner with a mental health services provider to support engagement and delivery of healthcare services to low-income community members living with SMI.
- Organizations that engage in formal and informal partnerships with a mental health service provider, managed care organization, or a state or county agency to deliver direct medical care to individuals living with SMI.
- Organizations that provide centralized support and quality improvement to a network of programs and/or organizations serving low-income and underserved populations living with SMI to implement improvements to quality, access, and or delivery of healthcare to the community (e.g., Perinatal Quality Collaboratives and Community Health Improvement Collaborative).
* Current grantees will not be eligible for this round of funding.
Timeline
- Application opens: July 17, 2024
- Virtual information and Q&A session (optional): July 25, 2024, 12:30-1:30 pm ET
- Applicants strongly encouraged to submit the intent to apply form by: August 8, 2024
- Application deadline: August 22, 2024
- Notification of grant awardees: October 2024
Information about the BMS Foundation NJ SNIP application, including requirements, award details, selection criteria, and more can be found in the request for applications document.
Apply for NJ SNIP
Apply for NJ SNIP today! Use the online application form to submit your proposal. If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]
Planning to submit an application for NJ SNIP? Fill out the intent to apply form to let us know you will be applying.
NJ SNIP information session webinar recording
Frequently asked questions
Can I still submit an application if I miss the 'Intent to Apply' deadline?
Yes. The intent to apply form is strongly encouraged but not required. Organizations are still eligible to apply regardless of whether an intent to apply form was submitted.
How many awards do you expect to make?
We anticipate making up to 10 awards, but the final number of awards is at the discretion of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMS Foundation), an independent charitable organization.
Our organization provides outpatient mental health services along with other services not related to mental health or substance use disorder. Are we eligible for this grant opportunity?
Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, located in NJ, that qualify as one of the following organization types defined in the request for proposals (RFP) are eligible to apply:
- Community Mental Health Centers
- Community Health Improvement Organizations
A non-profit, multi-service organization whose programs include services to improve access to mental health care for individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) would qualify under the Community Health Improvement Organization category.
Are we allowed to work with a former awardee?
Applicants that qualify as one of the two eligible organization types may partner with a current or former BMS Foundation awardee for this funding opportunity.
Is a non-profit behavioral health agency that provides mental health and substance use services eligible to apply?
Non-profit, community-based behavioral health agencies whose programming includes services to improve access to mental health care for individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) are eligible to apply.
If my organization is not eligible for this grant opportunity, can we partner with a qualified entity as a co-applicant through a joint proposal?
Yes. We encourage formal partnerships through a joint proposal with shared funding between an eligible entity and other local community-based organizations. If a qualified entity applies with other key organizations as co-applicants, the partnering organization does not have to be one of the eligible organization types. We believe that equitable partnership with community-based entities is a powerful strategy that can help organizations successfully meet community needs and program goals.
Are there particular topics of interest that are a priority for funding or otherwise preferred for this program?
Applicants should propose projects that have the potential for greatest impact for individuals living with SMI and sustainability by the organization. This grant is anchored in the belief that you know your client population and community needs best. This grant provides an opportunity for organizations to design a project that is best suited to address those needs.
Where can I view the application in its entirety, without clicking through the online form?
Where can I view the RFP?
10. Can one proposal address multiple needs identified by the organization?
A proposal can address multiple needs.
11. Can our organization submit more than one proposal?
Organizations may submit more than one proposal. Each proposal must be submitted as a separate application. Only one grant will be awarded to an organization. Submitting multiple applications does not increase the chance that an organization will be funded.
12. Can you clarify the total funding available?
A total of up to $300,000 is available for the two-year grant which includes up to $150,000 per year (but will not exceed 15% of an organization’s annual operating budget).
13. Can you clarify the grant period?
This is a two-year grant. For the purposes of annualized budgets, applicants may use January 1, 2025 –December 31, 2025, as Year 1 and January 1 – December 31, 2026, as Year 2.
14. Is there a grant narrative required?
Yes, there is a narrative requirement. It is described in Section 2: Proposed Work of the BMS Foundation NJ SNIP Funding Application found on page 10 of the RFP.
15. Can you provide an example of the types of projects previously funded through NJ SNIP?
Descriptions of the grants awarded in response to the 2023 call for proposals can be found at the NJSNIP Cohort 1 webpage: https://camdenhealth.org/work/new-jersey-safety-net-innovation-program/
Note: While the 2023 call for proposals was not tied to a specific population or health condition, the current RFP is focused on strengthening the healthcare safety net in New Jersey to improve care for individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI).
16. What is the expected buy-in from our organizational leadership? Should our boards and senior management be involved or our clinical teams? Or both?
For an organization to effectively implement the project, buy-in is needed from the senior and leadership level of the organization. However, we are not requiring a signed letter of support from your organization’s leadership. The signatory information provided on your application is the only indication of buy-in required from the applicant.
17. What is provided by the grant? Aside from funding, what type of strategy guidance can a grantee expect?
a. One-on-one technical assistance
In addition to the funding, grantees will receive one-on-one technical assistance will be provided by the Camden Coalition to develop and implement plans to ensure the success of the proposed project. Grantees will attend quarterly check-ins to assess progress on project plans and implementation wherein coaching and technical assistance needs will be assessed. The frequency of check-ins from the technical assistance project management team will be customized to reflect the level of support needed by the grantee.
b. Resalia
Grantees will have access to Resilia, an online platform that delivers coaching, resources (courses, templates, reference materials), and tailored capacity-building support to nonprofit organizations. Grantees may use this resource according to the needs of their organization/team.
18. What if an organization feels they do not need support with technical assistance or capacity building through Resilia?
NJSNIP is making available a range of technical assistance resources that grantees can chose to use based on the team’s needs. The funded organization has the option to gift the Resilia access to their partner organization.
19. Will there be a recording of the informational webinar?
Yes, the recording of the informational webinar can be found on the NJ SNIP website here:
https://camdenhealth.org/event/request-for-proposals-nj-snip/
For questions about the application process or for support with accessibility (language/digital ability), please contact [email protected].
All documents for the grant can be found at the NJ SNIP webpage.