Grant Process

Grant projects should focus on supporting eye, organ and tissue donation in Ohio, and must satisfy one or more of the purposes below. Special attention will be given to statewide projects, although projects may be for a local area if the proposal is for a pilot study.

1. Development and implementation of public education programs which may include workplace partnerships and initiatives about anatomical donation, resulting in a decrease in the number of Ohio citizens who are undecided about anatomical donations. The Second Chance Trust Fund Advisory Committee encourages the applicant to address promoting education and awareness among attorneys and physicians, counties below 47 percent of donor registrants, and to increase donor registry participants in the over 45 age group regarding organ, tissue and eye donation and will give special attention to those proposals, as well as those showing innovation and creativity.
2. Development and implementation of campaigns that explain and promote the Ohio Donor Registry in all 88 counties in Ohio.
3. Development and implementation of donor awareness programs in schools, which will be incorporated in the standard curricula, resulting in increased citizen capacity to make informed choices.
4. Development and implementation of campaigns that explain and promote anatomical donation and the Second Chance Trust Fund in all 88 counties in Ohio.
5. Development and implementation of programs to recognize donor families resulting in increased volunteerism, sustained relationships between donors and procurement organizations, and increase public acknowledgement of donors.
6. Development and implementation of hospital training programs to encourage and facilitate compliance with state and federal regulations, resulting in a decrease in the disparity between the number of deaths and the number of anatomical donation referrals.

Qualified Applicants

1. Public Agencies
2. Non-profit e.g. 501(c) (3) agencies concerned with or having an interest in increasing anatomical gifts (IRS documentation of non-profit status required)
3. Not-for-profit hospitals

The grant period will run from July 1 - June 30 for each grant year. A Request for Proposal (RFP) will be posted on the Second Chance Trust Fund website around the beginning of February each year requesting grant proposals from qualified applicants. All applications are submitted electronically, with the submission procedures being governed by the Ohio Department of Health guidelines.

Total grant funding will be about $500,000.00 annually. No grant award will be issued for less than $30,000.00 and those requests that exceed $100,000.00 will be reviewed with greater scrutiny and with an expectation of greater statewide impact.

All those receiving grant awards will be required to attend the annual Second Chance Trust Fund Grant Conference in the fall following the completion of their grant period to present the project and findings. A written abstract will also be required to be submitted before the conference is held.