THE BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION ACCEPTS REQUESTS FROM POTENTIAL GRANTEES THROUGH ITS WEBSITE (WWW.HEALTHIERMISSISSIPPI.ORG) IN THE FORM OF A "LETTER OF INQUIRY," A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF A REQUEST FOR GRANT FUNDS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO DEVELOPS SIGNATURE GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THE FARMERS' MARKET PROGRAM FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND THE SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAM FOR K-12 SCHOOLS. THE FOUNDATION'S HEALTHY SCHOOL AWARDS PROGRAM, WHICH BUILDS ON THE GOALS OF SCHOOL HEALTH COUNCILS STATEWIDE, ENCOURAGES AND REWARDS EXEMPLORARY SCHOOL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUCCESSES. EACH GRANT APPLICATION RECEIVED BY THE FOUNDATION (INCLUDING AWARDS PROGRAM APPLICATIONS), IS PRESENTED TO THE BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR FUNDING CONSIDERATION.

TO BE ELIGILBE FOR FOUNDATION GRANT FUNDING CONSIDERATION, AN ORGANIZATION MUST BE A 501(C)3 CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION (BUT NOT A PRIVATE FOUNDATION) THAT BENEFITS MS, A MS MUNICIPALITY OR A MS SCHOOL. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE: 1) BE LOCATED IN MS, OR IF NOT LOCATED IN MS, AGREE TO USE GRANT FUNDS ONLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF MS; 2) BENEFIT THE COMMUNITIES IN MS; 3) SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH NO DISCRIMINATION BY AGE, RACE, GENDER, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR DISABILITY; 4) NOT DUPLICATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY OVERLAP THE WORK OF PUBLIC AGENCIES; 5) BE A 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION (BUT NOT A PRIVATE FOUNDATION) AND PROVIDE PROOF OF SUCH CURRENT DESIGNATION IN THE FORM OF AN IRS DETERMINATION LETTER OR A MUNICIPALITY, COUNTY, SCHOOL OR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; AND 6) CANNOT HAVE A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF MS, ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES.