School-based health centers: A funder's view of effective grant making

Abstract

Health status and academic achievement have been found to be linked: When students have poor health status, they are at increased risk for poor academic outcomes. The school-based health center is a delivery model that supports improved access to health care, as well as healthy behaviors and outcomes, for students. Interact for Health is a private foundation that has provided funding to open school-based health centers in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area since 1999. This article outlines grant-making strategies and effective policies that the foundation has identified as most conducive to creating sustainable school-based health centers. These include identification of the right partners, development of a business plan, and guidelines and policies that support long-term financial sustainability.