Grants given the highest priority for funding meet one of these three criteria:

1. An underserved population is the target of the proposed project.
   Caring for Colorado Foundation defines underserved populations as groups of individuals who have no, or inadequate, access to health services due to limited financial resources, lack of health insurance, geographic isolation, or language/cultural barriers.
   
   
2. The project increases access to direct health services through increasing availability of services, expanding eligibility for services or reducing barriers to care.
   Assuring that underserved populations can access health services is a top priority of the Foundation.
   
   
3. The project uses prevention strategies to assure positive health outcomes for at-risk individuals or populations. Prevention programs that work to reduce health risks through health behavior change are a high priority for Caring for Colorado Foundation.
   
   

Proposals that are viewed as the most competitive by the Foundation meet these four conditions:

1. There is a documented community need for the proposed project.
   Priority will be given to agencies that document the community need for their project, through community-level health status data, population-based studies and/or community surveys, and are able to demonstrate how the proposed project does not duplicate existing efforts in the community.
   
   
2. The proposed intervention is based on research-validated, best practices. Whenever possible applicants should utilize programs and practices that have shown consistent, positive outcomes in other communities.
   
   
3. The applicant has a proven track record of working with the target population. Caring for Colorado is most interested in working with agencies and organizations that are seen as credible, reliable and culturally competent by both the target population and other community service providers.
   
   
4. The project creates lasting or sustainable change in individuals or the community. Examples of community and individual levels of change that are of interest to the Foundation include expanding the physical capacity of a health clinic so that more uninsured individuals can receive health care, or teaching people with chronic illnesses how to monitor their diseases and live healthier lifestyles to prevent a higher acuity of disease. In contrast, asking the Foundation to pay the medical bills or dental bills of low-income, uninsured individuals will not create a lasting change and would therefore not be considered.