Funding for Health Projects

Annual expenditures on health care in the United States increased from $714 billion in 1990 to more than $2.3 trillion in 2008. Though the subject of how to spend health care dollars is a perennial topic of debate, most can agree that projects with the goal of improving health are worthy of support. Government agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and private foundations provide funding for health projects, usually in the form of grants.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

• The NIH and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers the Alcohol Education Research Project Grants program. Projects must have the goal of disseminating the results of alcohol research to health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, therapists and pharmacists. Grants range up to $250,000 per year. Colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, school districts, community-based organizations, tribal groups and governments and government agencies are eligible to apply.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Local Funding Partnerships program offers grants for health projects. The program supports "promising, original projects that can significantly improve the health of vulnerable people in their communities," according to grant guidelines. Projects must also be community-based and new. Grants range from $200,000 to $500,000 and funds must be matched. Those eligible to apply include public entities or non-profit organizations.

National Institute of Nursing Research

• The NIH, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offer project grants through the Reducing Health Disparities Among Minority and Underserved Children program. Projects work to reduce health disparities among populations of children who have limited access to health care resources. Underserved populations can include children up to 21 years old from ethnic or cultural minority, low-income, rural, low-literacy, migrant, immigrant or physically disabled groups. Projects can focus on health disparities that stem from biological, environmental, social or economic inequity.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers funding through the Patient Safety and Medical Liability Reform Planning Projects program. Grants support planning efforts for projects that focus on increasing patient safety and reducing injuries in health care settings. To qualify, projects must also address issues related to the connection between liability claims and patient safety. Grants range up to $300,000. State or local government agencies, non-profits and tribal organizations can apply.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Health Program funds health projects around the world. As of January, 2011, priority funding areas include prevention of infectious diseases such as enteric and diarrheal diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria, pneumonia and tuberculosis; family planning; maternal, neonatal and child health; nutrition; tobacco cessation and disease control through vaccination. Projects must also focus on discovering new health care tools, overcoming obstacles in health care delivery and advocating for more effective policy as related to health care resources. Tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply.