Important: These guidelines are only applicable to the year stated. Date and requirements change yearly.
2024 Guidelines
Applications can be made online beginning September 15, 2024.
Deadline to submit: December 1, 2024
Deadline to submit: December 1, 2024
- No site visits – if the Foundation has questions, we will schedule a Zoom call with you.
- Requests must be as concise as possible.
- City of Milwaukee organizations only – must be located and based in the City of Milwaukee.
- Requests accepted online from September 15 through December 1, 2024 – you will be notified prior to year-end.
Please Note: All funding requests for the Healthy Children’s Initiative and General Operating and Capital Requests must apply through our Online Application Process. No paper requests are accepted.
For the grantee, this means a streamlined grant process. The grantee first registers an organizational profile on the system. Once registered, the grantee will have access to the Healthy Children’s Initiative (HCI) or General Operating and Capital Requests (GOCR). Any documents requested by the foundation can be uploaded to the (1) Letter of Inquiry (LOI) when applying to the HCI; (2) the GOCR Application; or (3) the grantee can direct the foundation to their website. This is also true with the full HCI application. Grantee’s information from the profile and the LOI will not be asked again for the full application. All information is saved and sent to the next application process, eliminating a lot of duplication and all of the paperwork! Grantees can work on the application at their own speed – it does not have to be completed in one seating. Grantees can also change answers and scan in information.
If for some reason you have trouble navigating the new system, please feel free to email me at [email protected].
For the grantee, this means a streamlined grant process. The grantee first registers an organizational profile on the system. Once registered, the grantee will have access to the Healthy Children’s Initiative (HCI) or General Operating and Capital Requests (GOCR). Any documents requested by the foundation can be uploaded to the (1) Letter of Inquiry (LOI) when applying to the HCI; (2) the GOCR Application; or (3) the grantee can direct the foundation to their website. This is also true with the full HCI application. Grantee’s information from the profile and the LOI will not be asked again for the full application. All information is saved and sent to the next application process, eliminating a lot of duplication and all of the paperwork! Grantees can work on the application at their own speed – it does not have to be completed in one seating. Grantees can also change answers and scan in information.
If for some reason you have trouble navigating the new system, please feel free to email me at [email protected].
To create a profile as a new user or to log in as a current user
Healthy Children's Initiative
June 1 – Letter of Inquiry (LOI) due using our Online Application Process
July 3 – Foundation will notify you via email
August 20 – Final Application and Site Visit Sign Up due
Fall 2020
November 1 – Foundation will notify Final Grantees
- If new to Online Application Process, first create a profile and save it. A profile should be as complete as possible. Once you have saved it, only the Foundation can make changes to your profile. After saving your profile, your organization will be directed to the LOI of the Healthy Children’s Initiative. You can complete LOI at that time or come back later and log on using your email address and password.
- Requests can be for General Operating or Program Specific.
- Requests for advocacy or systemic changes are acceptable.
- If you received a Healthy Children’s Initiative grant from us last year – please wait a year to apply again.
- Only one request per organization.
- Organizations must be based in the City of Milwaukee ONLY.
- Maximum request is $15,000.
- Please refer us to your website if it can be used for any of the information requested in the application process; lists of board or staff members, evidence of tax-exempt status, annual reports, audited reports, your most recent 990, any marketing materials or brochures.
- All pre-applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. CST on June 1.
July 3 – Foundation will notify you via email
- Qualifying organizations will be asked to submit a full application.
- Declines will be notified by email.
- If asked to complete full application, log on to the Online Application Process and go to Healthy Children’s Initiative application.
- A correct email address in your profile will ensure you get the proper notifications. All correspondence will be via email.
- Site Visit Sign Up – online.
August 20 – Final Application and Site Visit Sign Up due
- Complete Healthy Children’s Initiative application and email site visit sign up requests to [email protected].
- All submissions must be received by 4:30 CST on August 20.
Fall 2020
November 1 – Foundation will notify Final Grantees
- Questions? Email Missy Macleod at [email protected].
General Operating and Capital Requests
November 1 – General Operating and Capital Requests must use the Online Application Process – paper will not be accepted.
- If new to Online Application Process, first create a profile and save it. A profile should be as complete as possible. Once you have saved it, only the Foundation can make changes to your profile. After saving your profile, your organization will be directed to the General Operating and Capital Requests application. You can complete application at that time or come back later and log on using your email address and password.
- A correct email address in your profile will ensure you get the proper notifications. All correspondence will be via email.
- You can upload any reports, brochures or filings for your organization right to the online application.
- Only organizations that have received funding from us will be considered.
- If you received a Healthy Children’s Initiative grant in 2019, we will not consider another request.
- Requests must be as concise as possible; a one page cover letter summarizing the request and the amount must be included.
- Any request over $7,500 must have a site visit.
- Please, no common applications.
- City of Milwaukee organizations only.
- Notification - Year-end 2020
Special Program Grant/Milwaukee Healthy Children's Initiative
In 1993, the Charles D. Jacobus Family Foundation initiated the Special Program Grant. Its purpose was to award larger grants to programs that are designed to strengthen children living in Southeastern Wisconsin. In 1997, we began calling this program the "Milwaukee Healthy Children's Initiative" to reflect our commitment to our community's children. Beyond keeping our children free from disease and disability, we also strive to offer children the best opportunities to thrive in their family, educational, social and community environments. Recently, we have narrowed our giving geographically to the City of Milwaukee.
Healthy Children's Initiative: Creating Self-Sufficiency Among Residents in Milwaukee's Neighborhoods
In 2004, we decided to expand the parameters of the Milwaukee's Healthy Children's Initiative to include requests that create self sufficiency among the residents in Milwaukee's neighborhoods. Realizing children thrive if the family is self-sufficient and the community is strong, we added this new initiative. Priority will be given to requests that are neighborhood specific; those that create self sufficiency among the residents. This program can incorporate one of the "Program Types" below or it can be independent. Generally, we are looking for programs that harness together people in the neighborhood to bring about positive community change. Funding of these requests will help the neighborhood folks learn skills that will lead them on their way to self sufficiency. Self sufficiency can be measured in a number of ways:
-Economic
-Advocating for change — locally, city or statewide
-Housing
-Neighbors convening to develop solutions to neighborhood issues, such as: Childcare, Better Education -Programs, Evaluations of Community Services, and Identifying components of a strong community and making plans to achieve those goals.
This is a new initiative, so please be creative and have fun with it. We are learning too and look forward to seeing your responses.
Collaborations with other neighborhood groups are encouraged.
-Economic
-Advocating for change — locally, city or statewide
-Housing
-Neighbors convening to develop solutions to neighborhood issues, such as: Childcare, Better Education -Programs, Evaluations of Community Services, and Identifying components of a strong community and making plans to achieve those goals.
This is a new initiative, so please be creative and have fun with it. We are learning too and look forward to seeing your responses.
Collaborations with other neighborhood groups are encouraged.
Program types the Foundation will consider:
What type of programs encourage and support the healthy development of our children? We have identified four program categories that we will fund: Prevention Programs, Positive Youth Activities, Strengthening Families and Research. Each one of the categories is defined below.
All programs should be community based and run, have identifiable outcomes and be program-specific.
All programs should be community based and run, have identifiable outcomes and be program-specific.
General Operating Support
We will also fund general operating support for your organization as long as the mission of your organization fits in with our Healthy Children’s Initiative.
Prevention Programs - prevention should be an integral part of any program submitted to the foundation. An important priority of the foundation is to fund the programs that help children and their families right from the start. We believe this is much more cost effective and caring than intervening later when problems develop. Any program that works with a child and its family from the start will be considered. Research shows that if a baby is properly nurtured from 0 to 5, she will have a much greater chance of excelling in school and developing into a caring and responsible adult. Programs must be sensitive to the challenges a working mother faces. Program examples:
Early childhood education and care programs that are flexible, convenient and of high quality -
Home Visiting Programs
Parenting Programs
Prevention Programs - prevention should be an integral part of any program submitted to the foundation. An important priority of the foundation is to fund the programs that help children and their families right from the start. We believe this is much more cost effective and caring than intervening later when problems develop. Any program that works with a child and its family from the start will be considered. Research shows that if a baby is properly nurtured from 0 to 5, she will have a much greater chance of excelling in school and developing into a caring and responsible adult. Programs must be sensitive to the challenges a working mother faces. Program examples:
Early childhood education and care programs that are flexible, convenient and of high quality -
Home Visiting Programs
Parenting Programs
Positive Youth Activities
Since we are investing in prevention programs, we also want to ensure that as children grow older, they are given positive, "exciting and stimulating options". These programs should encourage self-esteem, creative thinking, communication skills, team building and trust. Where ever possible, they should be gender sensitive. They should give outlets for youth after school that not only helps with school learning, but expands a child's options for personal growth and development.
Program Examples:
Safe Haven/After School Programs
Mapping - programs that give youth an opportunity to make decisions and see the outcomes of their work.
Cultural Enhancement - programs that provide an opportunity to work with a professional in their community to learn a new skill and to be exposed to an art or sport that their community does not provide.
Program Examples:
Safe Haven/After School Programs
Mapping - programs that give youth an opportunity to make decisions and see the outcomes of their work.
Cultural Enhancement - programs that provide an opportunity to work with a professional in their community to learn a new skill and to be exposed to an art or sport that their community does not provide.
Strengthening Families
Ensuring that the whole family is involved in the program should be a component of all programs to ensure their success. These are programs directed at the entire family rather than the child or the youth. They are based on the positive aspects of the family and work to enhance the strengths of a family by sharing with them resources in the community.
Research
We will consider funding research that accurately evaluates what is happening with Milwaukee's children due to welfare reform, the reform of the child welfare system or the economic downturn. Consideration will also be given to programs that research what resources are available for a family and how they can gain access to them.
We may award from 5 to 10 grants of up to $15,000.
We may award from 5 to 10 grants of up to $15,000.
General Operating and Capital Grants
General Restrictions - PLEASE READ
The Foundation will not consider requests for funding to benefit individuals, religious or political organizations, travel, legislative or lobbying activities, tuition or scholarships, or staff seminars. Additionally, the Foundation will not sponsor events, benefits, competitions, parades or camps.
June 1 for the pre-application of the Milwaukee Healthy Children's Initiative grant.
November 1 for operating and capital requests.
We will not consider or acknowledge general solicitation letters.
June 1 for the pre-application of the Milwaukee Healthy Children's Initiative grant.
November 1 for operating and capital requests.
We will not consider or acknowledge general solicitation letters.