SUNBURY Health And Wellness

Your support of The Berwick Health & Wellness Fund (BHWF) makes an impact on the lives of people in your community. These stories are just a few examples of the power of giving happening now because of the generosity of our donors. 

The 23 locales eligible to receive BHWF grants are:

• Columbia County Boroughs: Berwick Borough*, Benton Borough, Briar Creek Borough, Stillwater Borough
• Columbia County Townships: Benton Township, Briar Creek Township, Fishing Creek Township, Mifflin Township, North Centre Township, South Centre Township
• Luzerne County Boroughs: Berwick Borough*, Conyngham Borough, Nescopeck Borough, New Columbus Borough, Shickshinny Borough
• Luzerne County Townships: Butler Township, Conyngham Township, Hollenback Township, Hunlock Township, Huntington Township, Nescopeck Township, Salem Township, Sugarloaf Township, Union Township

View the BHWF funds and other Central Susquehanna Community Foundation funds here.

In general, the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation favors preventive approaches and collaborative endeavors that enhance community health and wellness. Proposals receiving the most favorable review show evidence of:

• A solid understanding of community needs, current research in the field and best practices in service delivery
• A clear connection between the organization’s mission and the project for which funds are requested
• Achievable outcomes and a practical plan for reaching them
• A plan to measure and validate impact of the project
• Staff and/or volunteers who will be able to undertake the project successfully
• An ability to leverage or match grant dollars from other sources
• A plan to sustain the project beyond the grant period.

The Foundation board invests in programs and projects that promote overall health and wellness within the geographic boundaries of the BHWF. In the grant review process, priority is given to proposals that respond to one or more of the areas of need identified by a community assessment process:

• Ensuring that children are healthy and ready to learn when they enter school.
• Promoting oral health for residents who lack access to regular dental care.
• Reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease through nutrition, physical activity and tobacco-free lifestyles.
• Improving mental and behavioral health through community awareness, support and treatment.

• Types of Grants: The Foundation invites requests for program support and for capital projects that include equipment and facilities. On rare occasion, the Foundation may consider requests for general operating expenses.
• Duration of Grants: The Foundation typically awards one-year grants. In certain cases, grants may be renewable for additional years. It is not the intention of the Foundation to establish permanent or dependent relationships with grantees.
• Size of Grants: Grant size varies according to the type of project, the needs of the organization and the target population. Last year, 53% of our competitive grants were less than $5,000/grant; 34% of our grants were $10,000 or above; and 13% of our grants were between $5,000 and $9,999.
• Limitations: In order to be eligible to receive a grant from the Foundation, an organization must hold 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be a governmental organization. All grants must benefit the residents and communities within the defined geographic boundaries. The Foundation does not award grants to individuals or to projects that serve an exclusively religious purpose.