Midwest Grant Applications 2025-2026 Grantmaking 

Please find additional grant application information throughout this page.

Purpose

Elea Institute Previous Grants

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), the Elea Institute is seeking proposals to provide charity care, integrative therapy, and end of life care within 13 counties of Illinois.  This grant program will provide funding for up to two years of care and programming.  This RFP is meant to identify and provide financial support to non-profit organizations that meet the following criteria.   To that end, three below-listed grant programs have been developed.

  • Charity care for hospice and palliative care (“charity care”)
  • Integrative therapy that complements patients receiving hospice and/or palliative care (“integrative therapy”)
  • Education related to hospice and palliative care (“education”)

Background

Learn More About Elea Institute

Elea Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization created out of the proceeds from the 2022 sale of JourneyCare, a nonprofit hospice agency that stood at the forefront of hospice and palliative care in the greater Chicago metropolitan area.  The organization’s name is inspired by the mythological figure Elea, who was the personification of mercy and compassion in ancient Athens.

The primary goal of Elea Institute is to honor our heritage and advance the missions that guided JourneyCare and its predecessor organizations: to ensure that all people have access to high-quality hospice and palliative care.

Elea Institute is dedicated to improving care and comfort for people with serious illnesses by awarding grants for innovative programs and initiatives, funding research, and advancing policies to promote high quality, widely accessible hospice and palliative care.

Charity Care Grants Program

Designed to help patients receive hospice and palliative care by providing financial assistance for those who do not have insurance or cannot afford care. Program will provide funding for the care typically offered by a hospice or palliative care provider. Grants will be for care to be provided in the future, and not charity care that has previously been made available.

  • Average grant size: $100,000 – $300,000
  • Estimated number of grants: 2 – 5 projects
  • Grant project period: up to 2 years
  • Organization is financially stable
  • If possible, project will expand current efforts, building on existing capacity
  • Applicant provides quality care, as demonstrated by quality scores
  • Experience providing charity care, as illustrated by implementation of best practices including clear policies around who qualifies for financial assistance

Education Grants Program

Designed to fund education for health care providers, patients, families, and community members related to hospice and palliative care. Staff professional development may qualify if it helps staff provide better care to patients.

  • Average grant size: $50,000 – $100,000
  • Estimated number of grants: 1 – 3 projects
  • Grant project period: up to 2 years
  • Organization is financially stable
  • Project will build on existing activities
  • Will have direct impact on patients or patient care
  • Experience engaging the community through outreach and education efforts

Integrative Therapy Grants Program

Designed to fund integrative therapy for patients, families, and community members related to hospice and palliative care. Staff professional development may qualify if it helps staff provide better care to patients.

  • Average grant size: $50,000 – $100,000
  • Estimated number of grants: 1 – 3 projects
  • Grant project period: up to 2 years
  • Organization is financially stable
  • Project will build on existing activities
  • Will have direct impact on patients or patient care
  • Experience engaging the community through outreach and education efforts

Eligibility and How to Apply

Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply for more than one grant program area.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
  • Does direct or indirect work connected to the hospice and/or palliative care fields
  • Located in the United States, with activities focused in at least one of the 13 counties in Illinois previously part of JourneyCare’s service area. These are:
    • Boone
    • LaSalle
    • Cook
    • Lee
    • DeKalb
    • McHenry
    • DuPage
    • Olge
    • Kane
    • Will
    • Kendall
    • Winnebago
    • Lake

Exclusions

Elea Institute does not consider applications from:

  • For-profit organizations, unless there is a specific charitable purpose with appropriate board oversight and expenditure responsibility
  • Organizations where project budgets include more than 25% of unrelated general operating costs
  • Grant funds cannot be used to directly support lobbying efforts

To Apply

To apply for a grant, register and login to the Institute’s online application system. Proposals must be completed and submitted with all required responses and attachments in order to be considered for funding in this grant cycle. Please use the access code “Elea26” to access the application.

Questions 

Questions about this RFP or Elea Institute in general should be addressed to Rachel Rifkin (rrifkin@gmafoundations.com). Technical questions about the online application should be directed to Skylar Brown (sbrown@gmafoundations.com).