Goals

To support additional access to primary care and behavioral health services for low income, underinsured and uninsured residents across the Aurora service area of eastern Wisconsin, the Aurora Health Care Better Together Fund will provide support for primary and behavioral care with FQHCs, free clinics and community-based agencies that provide direct behavioral health services for children and youth who have experienced sexual or physical abuse, date rape, human trafficking, or have witnessed domestic violence or sexual assault. To increase and improve sexual assault violence advocacy service delivery and capacity to underserved populations.

The definition of “free clinic” includes 1) a not for profit organization not owned or operated by a health system, 2) one that provides free primary care services to certain patients and provides at least seventy percent of its services to uninsured or underinsured patients, and 3) provides primary care services, medication access and other wrap around services.

Grantmaking priorities

• FQHC programs may request up to $250,000 
• Free clinic and community-based agency programs may request up to $100,000 
• Funds may be requested for capital or operating purposes for up to five years to establish the new or expanded service 
• Two Letters of Inquiry (one for behavioral and one for primary care services) will be accepted by an organization but only one may receive funding if approved 
• Preference will be given to the proposal that demonstrates significant need and highest return on investment (ROI impact measured by number of additional encounters/new services provided per dollar invested) 
• New priority will be given to collaboration with other FQHC’s, free clinics and/or other not for profit organizations 
• Funds will not be appropriated for costs to continue or operational expansion of programs funded in the previous cycle

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by the Aurora Health Care Better Together Fund Advisory Committee of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation using the following criteria:

• Projections for increased primary or behavioral health capacity for uninsured and Medicaid patients as measured by number of patients served, encounters, etc. 
• Improved patient outcomes, such as number of patients screened, improvement in quality assessment scores, patient and provider satisfaction, and improve nutrition or dietary counseling services 
• Improved sexual assault and domestic violence capacity to underserved youth populations 
• A plan for provider recruitment and retention for FQHC and free clinics 
• A plan for sustainability of the services beyond the one-time investment

Eligibility

Grants will be made only to 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the Aurora service area and eastern Wisconsin free clinics and FQHCs not owned or partially owned by a health system.

Application process

Access Primary Care Service and Behavioral Health Care Expansion page to obtain basic steps for completing the Letter of Inquiry.

Please note: The applications in no way constitute an agreement between Aurora Health Care and/or the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and any entity submitting a proposal. Information contained in the submitted applications shall be used only for purposes of responding to a request for funding. Entities selected to receive funding may be required to enter into an agreement to complete the donation described in this process. Aurora and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel any application at any time during the proposal submission, selection, or negotiation process.

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