MHCP Mental Health Improvement Fund Grant

Overview

The health system members of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP) - Ascension Wisconsin, Aurora Health Care, Children’s Wisconsin, and Froedtert ThedaCare - helped launch the MHCP Mental Health Improvement Fund with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County in 2024 to support organizations that increase access to mental health and substance use treatment services for low-income, underserved populations in Milwaukee County, with the aim of improving mental health outcomes and advancing health equity. 

MHCP Mental Health Improvement Fund (MHIF) grants are one-time grants to non-profit, health and human service agencies in Milwaukee County. 

In the upcoming grant period, the Mental Health Improvement Fund will focus on the MHCP / United Way shared community health priority of: 

• Increasing access to mental health and substance use services. Supported activities include mental health and substance use programs and services that focus on early identification and intervention, outpatient diagnostics and treatment, crisis intervention, and care coordination for people of all ages. 

Increasing access to mental health and substance use services for youth, adults, and families was identified as a key issue in the Milwaukee County Community Health Needs Assessment and it is a critical activity under MHCP’s Annual Plan Priorities.  

Organizations with a strong racial and health equity focus will be prioritized. 

Special consideration will be made for organizations applying for funding who are actively participating in MHCP-sponsored or supported initiatives. 

Criteria 

• Organizations must be a 501(c)3 in good financial standing and operating as a 501(c) 3 for at least one year. 
• Organizations can assure that MHCP Mental Health Improvement Fund grant funds will only be invested in Milwaukee County. 
• Organizations may apply for funding to address one the priority identified above. 
• Organizations may apply for up to $50,000, one time per year.  Award amounts typically range from $25,000 to $35,000. 
• United Way funded organizations agree that they will not discriminate against clients, staff, and membership on the governing board on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation and identification, disability, special health care needs, genetic information, social or economic class, familial or marital status, military status, victim of domestic violence, sexual, abuse, or stalking, lawful sources of income, or arrest/conviction records. Organizations must not require attendance at religious services as a condition of assistance. This policy does not prohibit any organization from operating specific programs based on previously listed characteristics designed to meet the special needs of priority populations with those characteristics

2026-2027 Timeline 

All trainings and roundtables will take place virtually, unless otherwise specified. 

• January 30, 2026 - Letter of intent (LOI) is open for submission. 
• February 13, 2026 - LOI due by 4:30 p.m. 
• March 6, 2026 - Organizations notified whether they have qualified to complete a full Request for Proposal (RFP) and RFP opens  
• March 11, 2026, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Optional “Virtual Office Hours” for technical assistance and questions regarding the RFP. 
• March 27, 2026 - RFP and all attachments due  
• July 1, 2026 - Project funding year starts, and organization executives are notified of award status 

Apply 

The Mental Health Improvement Fund Letter of Intent will open on January 30, 2026.

Questions? Please use the form at the bottom of this page. 

Additional Information 

Award Amount 

Organizations invited to complete a full RFP may request up to a maximum of $50,000.  Award amounts typically average between $25,000 and $35,000. 

Organizations invited to complete a full RFP will be required to submit: 

• 501 (c) 3 Letter 
• Completed Form W-9 
• Most recent Audit Report & Management Letter for Audit Report 
• If the organization does not conduct an Audit, they will be asked to submit the last two fiscal year-ending Financial Reviews OR unaudited fiscal-year ending financials (Balance Sheet & Statement of Activities) 
• Most recent fiscal quarter financial report (Balance Sheet and Statement of Activities) 
• Organization 990, 990EZ, or 990N (most recently completed) 
• Current list of Organization Board of Directors 

Grant requirements for Organizations awarded funding 

Uploads: 

• Signed Grant Agreement* 
• Policy on Protecting Children (if the organization serves children)*

*Documents will be provided to agencies chosen to complete the RFP. 

Outcomes Measurement: 

Mental Health Improvement Fund programs will be required to provide outcomes and indicators results within the narrative section of the grant reports utilizing results from tools the program/organization already uses.

Demographics: 

All funded programs are required to report demographic information for all of the clients completing programming (including those that did not take the post-test.).

*Please note, this should be the demographics of the people served by the support of the funding. Ex. If it is supporting general operating, this would include all individuals served in the aligned work described in the grant application (ex., all behavioral health patients). If it is supporting a specific program, it should reflect only the individuals in that program (ex., only behavioral health patients participating in a specific diagnostic program).

Age Groups: 0 thru 3, 4 thru 5, 6 thru 11, 12 thru 17, 18 thru 24, 25 thru 34, 35 thru 44, 45 thru 54, 55 thru 64, 65 thru 74, 75 thru 84, 85 thru 94, 95 and over

Gender: Male, Female, Transgender, Non-binary/Genderfluid/Prefer to self-describe, Prefer not to say

Household Income: $0 to $9,999, $10,000 to $14,999, $15,000 to $24,999, $25,000 to $34,999, $35,000 to $44,999, $45,000 to $54,999, $55,000 to $64,999, $65,000 to $74,999, $75,000 to $84,999, $85,000 to $89,999, $90,000 or more, Free and reduced lunch (if income data is not available)

Racial Background: African American/Black (not Hispanic or Latino), Asian (not Hispanic or Latino), Caucasian/White (not Hispanic or Latino), Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern (not Hispanic or Latino), Native American (not Hispanic or Latino), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (not Hispanic or Latino), Multi-racial, Other

Zip Code of Residence