Engaging Communities Initiative
As the philanthropic arm of Kendal, KCF provides grant funding for initiatives that enhance the lives of older people, both within the Kendal System and beyond. As a direct result of support, KCF has maintained its rich history of making significant contributions to the field of aging from within the Kendal System and beyond in support of Kendal’s mission: “Together, transforming the experience of aging.®”
Lloyd Lewis – Promising Innovations Fund
The purpose is to support improvements in serving older adults that are reflective of a pioneering spirit in the field of aging. The annually funded grant seeks ideas that can enhance the lives of an aging population through services and research. The goal is to develop new understandings and awareness of issues and opportunities in support of this initiative.
Please note: There will not be a 2024 Promising Innovations Fund grant cycle as Kendal Charitable Fund engages in a strategic planning process. Future funding information will be shared when it is available.
Learn More About Applying for a Promising Innovations Grant
2022 Promising Innovations Grant – Applications Closed
Kendal Charitable Funds is pleased to announce the 2022 Promising Innovations Grant topic:
National workforce shortages are straining the U. S. healthcare system. The shortage of skilled workers is particularly pronounced in the fields of elderly care and is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, many Americans are unaware of the wide range of professional opportunities and careers available in the field of aging services. Some hold negative views about the field.
“Overall, long-term care workforce levels are at their lowest in 15 years, with 409,100 jobs lost between February 2020 and January 2022. The decline has been especially noticeable in skilled nursing, which experienced a 15% workforce decline during that time, according to BLS data. Home health saw a 1.7% decline.”
“A lack of interested or qualified candidates and unemployment benefits discouraging people were cited as the two biggest obstacles for hiring new staff.”
The need to recruit and retain talented and committed individuals into the field of aging services is great and immediate.
We seek proposals that address two or more of the identified immediate needs, through creative, innovative, and replicable strategies and/or programs in the senior living industry and/or related services field that:
- Retain members of the current workforce through positive work experiences
- Recruits and nurtures new members of the senior living workforce
- Builds future employment opportunities and career pathways
- Promotes positive images of employment opportunities and careers in senior living
Grant funding will not exceed $50,000 and will extend no longer than a two (2) year period. Based on submissions received, several smaller requests may be granted rather than 1 or 2 larger ones. Award recipient(s) will be notified no later than the week of October 17th. Funding will begin in January 2023. If you would like to consider submitting an online Letter of Intent, please be sure to carefully review our 2022 Grant Seeker Guidelines.
Letters of intent will be accepted until June 10th.
Kendal Charitable Funds utilizes a grant management platform that you will be required to utilize to submit your application and reports.
Affiliates Grant Program
As part of the Impacting Lives Engaging Communities Initiative Kendal Charitable Funds also provides grants within the Kendal System to Kendal affiliates to engage, partner with and support their efforts in the wider community around aging issues.
Apply for a 2022 Affiliate Grant
For this year’s Affiliate Grant Program, the KCF board is specifically focusing on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and its Impact on Workforce Challenges.
Eligibility
All operating affiliates are eligible to submit a request for the Kendal Charitable Funds’ Affiliate Grant. The KCF board has reserved sufficient monies to award a grant to each affiliate.
Grant Amounts, Parameters and Timeline
The board has made a decision to increase the amount of the grants for this year from the typical $5,000 in prior years to $10,000 as a result of the significant need facing everyone.
Please review the information regarding The Kendal System Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging foundation and structure (DEIB Pillars) to provide guidance and help you determine how to best utilize these funds as it relates to this grant initiative.
Submitting a Grant Request
Application deadline is 11:59pm on Friday, June 17th, 2022. Kendal Charitable Funds will be utilizing its online grant management program to receive and manage these affiliate grants. A link to the registration and application is below; please note, only online applications will be considered for grants.
The Affiliate Grant is a restricted process. In order to gain access to the application, please submit the name of your designated point-person to dmassey@kcorp.kendal.org.
People Development Fund
With the rapid growth in the aging services field anticipated as the Boomer Generation ages, Kendal will face sharply increased competition for staff in all areas. Building on its history and its values, Kendal will create comprehensive, System-wide staff development programs—for frontline staff, management and leadership positions—to ensure that Kendal takes the lead in aging services education and galvanizes its position as an employer of choice.
Kendal’s values call for “contributing to improved services for all older people.” Keeping that commitment will require a substantial investment in staff development—including a strong, systematized curriculum and internship, mentorship and fellowship programs—so that Kendal can broaden its impact both internally and across the aging services field.
We believe the people development initiative will enhance the quality of staff and resident experiences throughout the Kendal System.
The objective of the Kendal People Development Initiative will be to provide quality, consistency and relevancy in a values-based series of educational programs that engage Kendal as a larger “learning organization.”
Staff Development
Kendal is committed to the philosophy that it “must be a good place to work if it is to be a good place to live.” In addition, Kendal’s Values and Practices booklet states that: “We believe that diverse opportunities for growth help sustain high levels of enthusiasm and engagement in the workplace, create a more knowledgeable work force and contribute to greater commitment and higher motivation.”
Support for staff development comes in many forms and from countless sources across Kendal. In addition to the educational services provided on-site by Kendal affiliates, it includes covering the costs for new staff members to complete a 10-week training course to become Certified Nursing Assistants, paying for classes required throughout a four-year electrician apprenticeship program, and reimbursing staff for college and graduate school tuition. It is not unusual for a health care staff member to progress—with support from tuition reimbursement—from earning a nursing assistant certificate to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse, then a Registered Nurse and on to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Kendal makes an impact both internally and on the wider community
KCF Corporate Partners
Kendal’ Charitable Fund’s Corporate Partners help fund and sustain the work being done by non-profit organizations outside of the Kendal system as well as by our Kendal affiliates, through providing funding through the below grant programs.
Our current KCF Partners are:
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Contact us with questions regarding your proposed program/project.