Cook County is awarding seven local agencies that promote community health and well-being with Public Health funds in 2020, for a combined total of $133,505.
A subgroup of the county’s Public Health and Human Services Advisory Committee convened in early September to review requests for grants from the Public Health Fund. This is the second year for the advisory committee subgroup to consider applications and make funding recommendations to the Public Health and Human Services Board. In 2018, the board of commissioners granted authority to the Public Health and Human Services Advisory Committee to review and evaluate the applications. Prior to that, requests for funding were made directly to the county board of commissioners.
The committee’s subgroup considered priorities identified in the county’s Health Assessment and Improvement Plan, reviewed and scored each application, and used a ranking system to develop a consensus on prioritizing requests. Evaluation criteria included:
Completeness of application
Organizational budget
Projected community impact, and
Alignment with Community Health Improvement Plan
Eight applications were submitted requesting a combined total of approximately $153,000. With only $133,505 allocated to the fund, the committee was tasked with difficult decisions in granting funds for 2020.
Based on the advisory committee’s recommendation, the Public Health and Human Services Board adopted funding for the following applicants at these levels during their September 17 meeting:
Birch Grove Community Service: $16,000
Care Partners: $6,000
Cook County Higher Education: $10,000
Cooperation Station: $25,000
ISD 166 Community Education: $12,500
Oral Health Taskforce: $10,000
The Hub (formerly the Senior Center): $54,005
“The five-member advisory committee subgroup used a thorough and systematic approach to reach a decision for recommending this year’s Public Health Fund awards. Each grant application was studied in advance by members and then evaluated in a thoughtful, deliberative process. The projects that were awarded funds enhance and strengthen the Public Health and Human Services mission that our county government is charged with providing,” said Jerry Lilja, chair, Cook County Public Health and Human Services Advisory Committee.
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