New and Noteworthy

Health Centers Invited to Apply to Healthy Futures Fund Readiness Program

The Healthy Futures Fund (HFF), a collaboration between the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Morgan Stanley, and The Kresge Foundation that launched in 2012, recently announced that it will invest an additional $100 million in projects that promote healthy communities and address the social determinants of health. Utilizing New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financing, HFF is seeking to finance innovative, groundbreaking projects that will serve as models for the unique ways in which FQHCs are collaborating with partners to improve the health of their communities. 

Ideal projects can best be defined as “gazelle projects,” or FQHC-sponsored capital projects that are ahead of the pack, moving quickly to address the social determinants of health in their communities; characterized by nimble leadership, discerning vision and swift progress.  Projects should involve collaborations between health centers and other community partners that expand access to health care while also addressing at least one other critical community need, such as affordable housing, access to healthy food, job training, schools, elder care and other projects to advance community wellness.

In addition to providing attractive financing, HFF is offering a free HFF Readiness Program, sponsored by LISC and Kresge, for a limited number of FQHCs interested in obtaining financing through the HFF. Offered through Capital Link, the HFF Readiness Program is available to select health centers through a competitive application process; those that successfully complete the technical assistance program will be eligible for HFF grant funding to advance their project planning.  

Health centers are invited to apply to participate in the HFF Readiness Program by accessing our call for proposals here. Applications are due March 4, 2016.

Learn more by visiting the Healthy Future Funds website or Capital Link’s Healthy Futures Fund Readiness Program webpage. Contact Jonathan Chapman, Capital Link’s Director of Community Health Center Advisory Services at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.

Help Us Report on the Capital Needs of Health Centers!

For the past seven years, Capital Link has conducted a study, with support from HRSA, to determine the extent of existing and future health center capital needs and funding requirements. By providing an estimate of the additional capital investment required for health centers to meet growth targets, this national capital needs assessment helps focus attention on the evolving needs of health centers as they work to support high-quality patient care.

Your participation helps:

• Quantify the capital needs of health centers nationally in order to inform public sector stakeholders;

• Encourage private sector foundations and lenders to develop new funding sources to help health centers meet their needs;

• Identify new or emerging needs, beyond “brick and mortar” capital — such as working capital to support rapid growth or acquisition of private practices;

• Identify areas for additional technical assistance to help your health center reach development goals; and

• Position your health center to receive information on emerging funding sources targeted to your specific needs.

We’re preparing to send our new assessment to all health centers in a few weeks, so stay tuned! Your assistance in this important effort is greatly appreciated.